Over 670 people died in a massive Papua New Guinea landslide, UN estimates, as survivors seek safety

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The International Organization for Migration on Sunday increased its estimate of the death toll from a massive landslide in Papua New Guinea to more than 670 as emergency responders and traumatized relatives gave up hope that any survivors will now be found.

Serhan Aktoprak, the chief of the U.N. migration agency's mission in the South Pacific island nation, said the revised death toll was based on calculations by Yambali village and Enga provincial officials that more than 150 homes had been buried by Friday's landslide. The previous estimate had been 60 homes.

“They are estimating that more than 670 people (are) under the soil at the moment,” Aktoprak told The Associated Press.

Local officials had initially put the death toll on Friday at 100 or more. Only five bodies and a leg of a sixth victim had been recovered by Sunday, when an excavator donated by a local builder became the first piece of mechanical earth-moving equipment to join the recovery effort.

Relief crews were moving survivors to safer ground on Sunday as tons of unstable earth and tribal warfare, which is rife in the Papua New Guinea Highlands, threatened the rescue effort.

Around 250 additional houses have been condemned since the landslide because of still-shifting ground, leaving an estimated 1,250 people homeless, officials said.

The national government meanwhile is considering whether it needs to officially request more international support.

Crews have given up hope of finding survivors under earth and rubble 6 to 8 meters (20 to 26 feet) deep.

“People are coming to terms with this so there is a serious level of grieving and mourning,” Aktoprak said.

He said the new estimated death toll was “not solid" because it was based on the average size of the region's families per household. He would not speculate on the possibility that the actual toll could be higher.

“It is difficult to say. We want to be quite realistic,” Aktoprak said. “We do not want to come up with any figures that would inflate the reality.”

Government authorities were establishing evacuation centers on safer ground on either side of the massive swath of debris that covers an area the size of three to four football fields and has cut the main highway through the province.

Beside the blocked highway, convoys that have transported food, water and other essential supplies since Saturday to the devastated village 60 kilometers (35 miles) from the provincial capital, Wabag, have faced risks related to tribal fighting in Tambitanis village, about halfway along the route. Papua New Guinea soldiers were providing security for the convoys.

Eight locals were killed in a clash between two rival clans on Saturday in a longstanding dispute unrelated to the landslide. Around 30 homes and five retail businesses were burned down in the fighting, local officials said.

Aktoprak said he did not expect tribal combatants would target the convoys but noted that opportunistic criminals might take advantage of the mayhem to do so.

“This could basically end up in carjacking or robbery,” Aktoprak said. “There is not only concern for the safety and security of the personnel, but also the goods because they may use this chaos as a means to steal.”

Longtime tribal warfare has cast doubt on the official estimate that almost 4,000 people were living in the village when a side of Mount Mungalo fell away. The count was years old and did not take into account people who had relocated to the village more recently to flee clan violence that authorities are unable to contain.

Local authorities on Sunday accepted the village population had been substantially more than 4,000 people when the limestone mountainside sheared away, but a revised estimate was not yet available.

Justine McMahon, country director of the humanitarian agency CARE International, said moving survivors to “more stable ground” was an immediate priority along with providing them with food, water and shelter. The military was leading those efforts.

The numbers of injured and missing were still being assessed on Sunday. Seven people including a child had received medical treatment by Saturday, but officials had no details on their conditions.

Papua New Guinea Defense Minister Billy Joseph and the government’s National Disaster Center director Laso Mana were flying from Port Moresby by helicopter to Wabag on Sunday to gain a firsthand perspective of what is needed.

Aktoprak expected the government would decide by Tuesday whether it would officially request more international help.

The United States and Australia, a near neighbor and Papua New Guinea’s most generous provider of foreign aid, are among governments that have publicly stated their readiness to do more to help responders.

Papua New Guinea is a diverse, developing nation with 800 languages and 10 million people who are mostly subsistence farmers.

In this photo provided by the UNDP Papua New Guinea, villagers carry a coffin during a funeral procession in Yambali village in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea, Sunday, May 26, 2024. The International Organization for Migration feared Sunday the death toll from a massive landslide is much worse than what authorities initially estimated. (Kafuri Yaro/UNDP Papua New Guinea via AP)

In this photo provided by the UNDP Papua New Guinea, villagers search through a landslide in Yambali village in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea, Sunday, May 26, 2024. The International Organization for Migration feared Sunday the death toll from a massive landslide is much worse than what authorities initially estimated. (Kafuri Yaro/UNDP Papua New Guinea via AP)

CORRECTS TO YAMBALI FOR LOCATION, NOT POGERA - Villagers search through a landslide in Yambali in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea, Sunday, May 26, 2024. The International Organization for Migration has increased its estimate of the death toll from a massive landslide Friday May 24 in Papua New Guinea to more than 670. (Mohamud Omer/International Organization for Migration via AP)

Villagers use heavy machinery to search through a landslide in Yambali in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea, Sunday, May 26, 2024. The International Organization for Migration feared Sunday the death toll from a massive landslide is much worse than what authorities initially estimated. (Mohamud Omer/International Organization for Migration via AP)

Villagers search through a landslide in Yambali village, in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea, Sunday, May 26, 2024. The International Organization for Migration feared Sunday the death toll from a massive landslide is much worse than what authorities initially estimated. (Mohamud Omer/International Organization for Migration via AP)

Villagers search through a landslide in Pogera village, in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea, Sunday, May 26, 2024. The International Organization for Migration has increased its estimate of the death toll from a massive landslide Friday May 24 in Papua New Guinea to more than 670. (Mohamud Omer/International Organization for Migration via AP)

CORRECTS TO YAMBALI FOR LOCATION, NOT POGERA - Villagers search through a landslide in Yambali, in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea, Sunday, May 26, 2024. The International Organization for Migration feared Sunday the death toll from a massive landslide is much worse than what authorities initially estimated. (Mohamud Omer/International Organization for Migration via AP)

In this photo provided by the International Organization for Migration, an injured person is carried on a stretcher to seek medical assistance after a landslide in Yambali village, Papua New Guinea, Friday, May 24, 2024. More than 100 people are believed to have been killed in the landslide that buried a village and an emergency response is underway, officials in the South Pacific island nation said. The landslide struck Enga province, about 600 kilometers (370 miles) northwest of the capital, Port Moresby, at roughly 3 a.m., Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported. (Benjamin Sipa/International Organization for Migration via AP)

In this photo provided by the International Organization for Migration, people cross over the landslide area to get to the other side in Yambali village, Papua New Guinea, Friday, May 24, 2024. More than 100 people are believed to have been killed in the landslide that buried a village and an emergency response is underway, officials in the South Pacific island nation said. The landslide struck Enga province, about 600 kilometers (370 miles) northwest of the capital, Port Moresby, at roughly 3 a.m., Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported. (Benjamin Sipa/International Organization for Migration via AP)

Emergency crews in Papua New Guinea move survivors of massive landslide to safer ground

Emergency crews in Papua New Guinea move survivors of massive landslide to safer ground

In this photo provided by the International Organization for Migration, an injured person is carried on a stretcher to seek medical assistance after a landslide in Yambali village, Papua New Guinea, Friday, May 24, 2024. More than 100 people are believed to have been killed in the landslide that buried a village and an emergency response is underway, officials in the South Pacific island nation said. The landslide struck Enga province, about 600 kilometers (370 miles) northwest of the capital, Port Moresby, at roughly 3 a.m., Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported. (Benjamin Sipa/International Organization for Migration via AP)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jose Miranda hit a tiebreaking home run in the eighth inning and the Minnesota Twins beat the Oakland Athletics 8-7 Sunday night to take both games of a split doubleheader and finish a sweep of the four-game series.

Willi Castro had three hits, and Carlos Correa and Austin Martin each had two for the Twins. Minnesota has won five straight and seven of eight.

“It was a great day,” said Royce Lewis, who homered in both games.

With one out in the eighth, Miranda crushed a first-pitch slider from Dany Jiménez (1-2) 427 feet to the second deck in left field, Minnesota’s third home run of the night. Lewis and Trevor Larnach also went deep.

Miranda replaced Larnach as the designated hitter in the sixth.

“Any time I’m not in the game I’m always getting prepared in the cage. I know the pitchers that can come in and I’ve got to be ready,” he said.

JJ Bleday had a career-high four hits and Tyler Soderstrom had three hits including a home run, but Oakland lost for the ninth straight time, including all seven games of a road trip that began in San Diego. Pitching coach Scott Emerson was ejected in the sixth inning.

“This offense, when we hit homers, we usually win. We just didn’t have the pitching to get it done,” manager Mark Kotsay said. “We swung the bats better on the road than we did the last homestand, but we didn’t come away with any wins.”

Lewis has seven home runs in his first 12 games of the season, something never done in Twins history.

“It’s more than I’ve ever seen,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “It’s not fluky, he’s really very talented, he’s got a very good swing that stays on plane. He can hit fastballs, he can hit breaking balls, he always has a chance to do something. There’s a dangerous nature about him at the plate. When he’s on your side, you can’t help but smile when he’s doing it.”

After recording the final out of the seventh inning, Josh Staumont (1-0) struck out the side in the eighth. Griffin Jax pitched a scoreless ninth for his sixth save.

Correa has had multiple hits in eight of his last 11 games, including two home runs as part of a three-hit game when Minnesota won the opener 6-2. Lewis and Carlos Santana also homered.

Called up to be Minnesota’s 27th player for the doubleheader, Louie Varland threw 4 1/3 mostly solid innings, but gave up four straight singles in the seventh, the last two RBIs by Soderstrom and Shea Langeliers to tie the score at 7-all.

Oakland starter Joey Estes allowed eight hits and six earned runs in 2 2/3 innings. Minnesota starter Chris Paddack lasted just 2 1/3 innings, allowing five earned runs and five hits. Each gave up two home runs.

NICE GRAB

Martin reached over the wall to rob Langeliers of a home run in the second.

“Hell yeah, I was surprised!” he said. “I felt it go in my glove, but my whole arm kind of went over, so I didn’t know what I would be bringing back. I didn’t expect to bring back a baseball, so when I looked and I had it, I was like, ‘Dang, that’s not bad.’”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Athletics: Starting RHP Ross Stripling, out since May 25 with a strained right elbow, has begun to throw from 105 feet. Kotsay has no timetable for him throwing a bullpen session or off a mound.

Twins: RF Max Kepler returned to the lineup in the night game. He sat out the first game after being hit above the elbow by a 99-mph pitch Friday.

UP NEXT

Athletics: LHP Hogan Harris (0-0, 2.49) is scheduled to start on Tuesday at home against Kansas City. The Royals plan to start RHP Alec Marsh (5-3, 3.63).

Twins: RHP Pablo López (6-6, 5.33) will start at home on Tuesday against Rays’ RHP Aaron Civale (2-5, 5.20) to open a three-game series.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Chris Paddack delivers against the Oakland Athletics during the first inning of the second game of a baseball doubleheader, Sunday, June 16, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Joey Estes delivers against the Minnesota Twins during the first inning of the second game of a baseball doubleheader, Sunday, June 16, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Oakland Athletics' JJ Bleday, right, celebrates after his solo home run with third base coach Eric Martins during the third inning of the second game of a baseball doubleheader against the Minnesota Twins, Sunday, June 16, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Minnesota Twins' Trevor Larnach hits a three-run home run against the Oakland Athletics during the second inning of the second game of a baseball doubleheader, Sunday, June 16, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Minnesota Twins' Royce Lewis celebrates his two-run home run as he advances toward home plate during the first inning of the second game of a baseball doubleheader against the Oakland Athletics, Sunday, June 16, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Minnesota Twins' Carlos Santana is congratulated after scoring on an RBI double hit by Austin Martin during the third inning of the second game of a baseball doubleheader against the Oakland Athletics, Sunday, June 16, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Minnesota Twins third baseman Royce Lewis catches a line drive hit by Oakland Athletics' Abraham Toro during the fifth inning of the second game of a baseball doubleheader, Sunday, June 16, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Minnesota Twins' Royce Lewis, left, advances toward home on a single hit by Carlos Correa during the sixth inning of the second game of a baseball doubleheader against the Oakland Athletics, Sunday, June 16, 2024, in Minneapolis. Lewis scored on the play. (AP Photo/Matt Krohn)

Oakland Athletics' Tyler Soderstrom is tagged out by Minnesota Twins second baseman Kyle Farmer after hitting a line drive to left fielder Willi Castro, not pictured, during the fourth inning of game one of a double header baseball game, Sunday, June 16, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs)

Oakland Athletics pitcher JP Sears throws during the first inning of game one of a double header baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Sunday, June 16, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs)

Minnesota Twins pitcher Bailey Ober throws during the first inning of game one of a double header baseball game against the Oakland Athletics, Sunday, June 16, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs)

Minnesota Twins' Royce Lewis advances toward third base in celebration after hitting a home run during the first inning of game one of a double header baseball game against the Oakland Athletics, Sunday, June 16, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs)

Oakland Athletics' Max Schuemann reacts after striking out against the Minnesota Twins during the fifth inning of game one of a double header baseball game, Sunday, June 16, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs)

Minnesota Twins' Carlos Correa hits a homer during the first inning of game one of a double header baseball game against the Oakland Athletics, Sunday, June 16, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs)

Minnesota Twins Carlos Correa high-fives teammates in the dugout after hitting a home run during the first inning of game one of a double header baseball game against the Oakland Athletics, Sunday, June 16, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs)

Minnesota Twins' Royce Lewis shouts a Father's Day message after hitting a home run during the first inning of game one of a double header baseball game against the Oakland Athletics, Sunday, June 16, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs)