Papua New Guinea: Many people are feared dead in a massive landslide

A massive landslide may have killed dozens after hitting six remote villages in Papua New Guinea, local officials and aid agencies said.

More than 100 houses were buried by the landslide, which occurred around 03:00 local time on Friday (17:00 GMT Thursday) in the mountains of Enga, north of the island nation in the southwest Pacific.

It was not immediately clear how many people were trapped in the wreckage, and no casualties were officially confirmed.

Enga Governor Peter Ibadas told AFP news agency it was an « unprecedented natural disaster ».

Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister James Marab said his government had sent disaster officials to the area to « start relief work, recover bodies and rebuild infrastructure ».

« I will release more information as I am fully briefed on the extent of destruction and loss of life, » Mr Marabe said in a statement.

Pictures online showed dozens of people climbing over fallen rocks to survey the damage caused by the landslide. Many houses were seen collapsing and trees were uprooted.

According to reports, rescue workers are finding it difficult to separate the debris.

People can be heard crying and screaming in a video posted by Facebook user Kintuban Kampi from Enga Kagalam village.

« There are reports of death and several casualties, but the exact number is yet to be confirmed, » said a spokesman for the Red Cross Society of Papua New Guinea.

He added that an emergency response team comprising officials from the provincial governor's office, police, security forces and local NGOs has been dispatched to the site.

International humanitarian organization CARE told the BBC it was « currently assessing the situation » over the incident.

We are 600 km by road from the country's capital, Port Moresby.