03 APRIL 2002 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) -- A landslide in Papua New Guinea has buried three villages with thirty four people in the Markham district of the Morobe Province.

Twenty-two people are still missing while eight bodies have been retrieved from the debris.

Morobe Provincial administrator, Manasupe Zurenuoc said an earthquake measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale was felt in the Markham area on Monday.

Local officials say a tremor was centred in the neighbouring Tewai Siassi district while heavy rains in the region are said to be a factor in the destruction of villages, roads and essential services in this disaster-prone area.

With election campaigning due to begin this week, the PNG government was quick to release funding for the construction of a temporary bridge replacing a collapsed bridge over the Zumin River in the Morobe Province. The bridge links Papua New Guinea's coast to the resource rich highlands of the region.