9 buried alive in landslide

By PISAI GUMAR
THREE women, five girls and an eight-month-old baby were buried alive in a landslide on Tuesday.
Two girls who survived told of how the incident at Seleap village in Hote, Salamaua, Huon Golf, Morobe, was like “watching a movie”.
“It was like a movie that occurred swiftly as everything unfolded within minutes and stopped. We were left helpless, without words but only tears as we knelt down,” Jennifer Ngawi, 14, said.
Ngawi, Rosa Ngasamu, 13, and the five girls who died were students of Sabaya and Yamu primary schools.
Ngawi said the two of them were walking ahead of the group when they heard a loud noise.
“When we turned around, the landslip rolled down like a huge wave carrying boulders, trees and the vegetation and roared down with a loud noise to the creek,” she said.
“In fear, we ran for cover to the other side. But there was another landslide ahead of us. We were shaken and (squeezed into a little gap) created by the landslip.”
The three woman who died were Anna Lingwaku, 35, Sandra Shem, 24, Martina Leni, 28, and her baby girl Sandra.
Four of the five students who died were Yangungsio Marus, 15, Paul Marus, 10, Koreno Robert, 10, and Aidah Geame, 10. The fifth is yet to be identified.
Salamaua village court magistrate chairman David Lini and Baya parish pastor Anonga Daniel told The National at the disaster site that the landslide from Mt Ayangho occurred at around 2pm on Tuesday.
Survivor Ngasamu said the students from Yamu were walking towards Sabaya escorting a sick teacher identified only as Mrs Matari to Buakap on the coast to travel to Lae for treatment.
They were to assist Yamu primary school head teacher Gebob Gelam and teacher Kilau Dengnamu who were to travel to Buakap on Wednesday with food for the school double classroom opening for grades six and seven and school closing on Dec 6.
“However, when we reached Seleap, Mrs Matari was still walking metres behind and Rosa and I (Jennifer) were ahead of the others.”