The government of Papua New Guinea has ordered thousands of residents to evacuate due to an ongoing landslide that buried at least 2,000 people after part of a mountain collapsed.

Officials have stated that the chances of finding survivors are slim. Relief teams have had difficulty reaching the affected northern Enga region since Friday due to the challenging terrain and local tribal conflicts.

Heavy equipment and aid have been slow to arrive, necessitating military escorts for relief convoys. Residents have resorted to using shovels and their hands to search for survivors. Sandis Tsaka, chairperson of the Enga province disaster committee, reported that the landslide area remains highly unstable, with continuous rock and debris falls.

Military personnel have established checkpoints and are assisting in moving residents to evacuation centers. The United Nations reported that six bodies had been recovered by Tuesday, with an estimated 7,849 people affected by the disaster, including those needing evacuation and relocation.

This landslide is one of the most devastating natural disasters in Papua New Guinea in recent years, a country prone to such events. The government’s estimate of over 2,000 buried contrasts sharply with the U.N.’s figure of 670 potential deaths and some local officials’ lower estimates.

Nicholas Booth, the UNDP resident representative, described the relief operation as extraordinarily complicated due to the continuing movement of the terrain.

The affected area has expanded since the initial landslide. Tribal conflict has also impeded aid efforts, with eight people killed and 30 houses burned in recent fighting. Approximately 150 structures have been buried by the landslide.

Immediate needs include clean water, food, clothing, shelter items, kitchen utensils, medicine, hygiene kits, and psychosocial support, according to the UN. Provincial authorities have asked the international community to send engineers for a geohazard assessment.

Booth cautioned that population estimates should be treated with care due to the outdated census and voter rolls, noting that most victims remain trapped under the rubble, making it difficult to provide a precise casualty count.