Woman's heartbreak after horror Papua New Guinea quake buries family alive

Aid officials in Papua New Guinea estimate 270,000 people remain in urgent need of basic supplies following February's deadly quake - and stories from the worst hit areas are continuing to emerge.

One woman who made it to a hospital in Mt Hagen has revealed how she lost not only her husband, but six of her seven children as well.

In a matter of seconds, in the middle of the night, Nagiei Waloga lost almost everyone who was dear to her.

With crush injuries to her leg and supported by her niece, she recounts the moment the quake hit as her family slept.

"It was so sudden that the earth trembled, and shook our house down," she said.

"The ground buried my whole family. Three boys and three girls, including my husband - but I survived with my last-born son."

Her children were buried beneath the debris; she could hear them, but couldn't save them. Only two of their bodies were recovered.

"One of her adult children was actually found with her baby covered by earth," said Suzy Sainovski, World Vision Pacific & Timor Leste communications director.

"It's just so horrific - it's incomprehensible."

The hospital at Mt Hagen is now home to dozens of victims and is one of the few functional health centres.

Aube Sepik was hit in the head by a rock following a landslide, but managed to escape her home.

"I have lost everything I had once, the house, the garden and clean water," she said.

"Now I'm worried. Where will I find a place to sleep, a place to eat fresh food and a place to drink clean water?"

At least 125 people died, and while supplies from New Zealand are touching down, getting it to those most in need remains a logistical nightmare because of damage to roads.

World Vision says it's a challenging environment.

"Even before the earthquake, for some people, reaching a health facility is a two-day walk followed by a bus trip," Ms Sainovski said.

One of their biggest worries is a reported spike in diarrhoea and other illnesses due to contaminated water.

Many of the displaced will likely have no choice but to permanently relocate.

If you’d like to donate and help victims of the Papua New Guinea quake, visit worldvision.org.nz.

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