King Charles 'shocked' by horror Papua New Guinea landslide as more than 2,000 feared dead

King Charles said he is "deeply shocked and saddened" following the devastating landslide in Papua New Guinea which buried more than 2,000 people alive in Enga last Friday.

The monarch, who is currently undergoing treatment for a type of cancer after being diagnosed back in February, interrupted his bank holiday weekend to share a message, which read: "My wife and I were deeply shocked and saddened to learn of the devastating landslide in Enga, and the tragic loss of so many lives, homes and food gardens.

"I have witnessed at first-hand and have great admiration for, the extraordinary resilience of the peoples of Papua New Guinea and the Highlands.

"I have faith that your communities will come together to support the survivors and the recovery in these heartbreaking circumstances.

"My wife joins me in sending our most heartfelt condolences to the families and communities who have suffered so much as a result of this appallingly traumatic event. Papua New Guinea is very much in our special thoughts and prayers."

More than 2,000 people are feared to be buried alive under rocks and debris as survivors are still looking for people using their bare hands and spades.

On Monday it was reported that a PNG government official told the United Nations that more than 2,000 people are believed to have been buried alive formally asked for international help.

The government figure is roughly triple the U.N. estimate of 670 killed by the landslide in the South Pacific island nation's mountainous interior.

The remains of only five people had been recovered by Monday, local authorities reported. It was not immediately clear why the tally of six reported on Sunday had been revised down.

Estimates of the casualties have varied widely since the disaster occurred, and it was not immediately clear how officials concluded the number of people affected.

The International Organization for Migration, which is working closely with the government and taking a leading role in the international response, has not changed its estimated death toll of 670 released on Sunday, pending new evidence.

Determining the scale of the disaster is difficult because of challenging conditions on the ground, including the village's remote location, a lack of telecommunications and tribal warfare throughout the province which means international relief workers and aid convoys require military escorts, PA reports.

The national government's lack of reliable census data also adds to the challenges of determining how many are potentially dead.