Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
New Zealand is ready to help disaster relief efforts in Papua New Guinea if asked, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says.
Australia is also on standby to provide relief to those affected by a major landslide in a remote village in the highlands in which hundreds of people have been killed.
Recovery efforts to dig out bodies - believed to be in the thousands - are continuing under challenging conditions.
Luxon said the landslide was incredibly tragic.
"Well we are ready to help. We've been ready since the weekend. It could be a deployment of a C1-30 with relief supplies, for example.
But again, the process is that the UN is actually going to coordinate the response and the support and work with the PNG government so they've got one point of contact and we are very happy to help in any way we can.
This handout photo taken and received on 26 May 2024 from the International Organization for Migration shows people digging at the site of a landslide at Yambali Village in the region of Maip Mulitaka, in Papua New Guinea's Enga Province. Photo: AFP / Mohamud Omer
Australia has made an initial announcement of aid, and said it would supply $2.7 million in humanitarian support to Papua New Guinea.
Its response included sending technical experts to the Enga province, as well as providing shelter, hygiene and other support.
PNG community leader Miok Michael had visited the site of the landslide and told RNZ Pacific it was heartbreaking.
"People are still crying for help as hundreds, if not thousands of bodies are still scattered."
RNZ Pacific correspondent Scott Waide said that "many people have accepted their loved ones are dead. But in PNG there needs to be closure so a lot of people will want to dig up the bodies for closure."
