8 Dec 2008

Extreme rain blamed for mudslide which claims ten lives in PNG

4:19 pm on 8 December 2008

The search for victims of a destructive mudslide at a gold mine in Papua New Guinea's Eastern Highlands has been called off.

The death toll from Thursday's disaster is set at ten, including three children who had been staying at the camp at Kainantu when mud and debris smashed into it.

The mine operator, Perth based Barrick Gold, puts the slip down to extreme rainfall.

The company says the ten dead are all locals, five of whom were employees.