In a preventive and safety measure fearing possible landslides, Major Joe Aku told the press that “all efforts to recover bodies have been called off because of the danger".
"Recovery is non-negotiable at this stage," he stated, crushing survivors' dreams of reuniting with loved ones.
The landsite disaster has been declared a "no-go zone" and will be closed to the public and authorities until further notice.
The government of Papua New Guinea estimates that 2,000 people were buried in a 600-metre-long mound of earth and boulders that covered an isolated village in Enga province.
According to Major Aku, the death toll might be closer to 650. Local health officials reported that only nine remains were discovered during makeshift recovery attempts. The real toll of the accident will most likely never be revealed, as the recovery work has been called off. "It is too dangerous to be on-site at this stage. This is the worst and biggest landslide I have seen," he stated.
Papua New Guinea is one of the world's most disaster-prone regions, with landslides occurring often in its highlands. However, the estimated 7,849 villagers around Mount Mungalo in central Papua New Guinea were unprepared for the landslide that buried families and homes early on Friday 24 May.
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Papua New Guinea landslide update: Search to recover bodies “called off” by authorities
