Three days later, families are still waiting to identify the dead, while the nightclub lies in ruins - its roof reduced to rubble and twisted steel . According to the office of President Luis Abinader, 189 people were pulled alive from the debris.

First responder Fabio Miniato, a 60-year-old firefighter, described the trauma of the rescue efforts. “At the entrance, under a slab, there was a leg sticking out. She couldn’t have been more than 18 or 20. And I thought - someone is waiting for her at home.”

As dawn broke that morning, he recalled the haunting sound of cell phones ringing beneath the rubble. “That was all people looking for their relatives,” he said.

The tragedy has left young people especially shaken. Emma Nicole Barba, a 23-year-old student, stood among mourners near the site.

“You think it could have been me, a sibling, a friend,” she said. “Let’s hope the authorities respond. This was a very big catastrophe.”

The cause of the collapse remains under investigation. 

Nowhere is this more evident than in American Samoa, where a staggering 80.2% of adults are classified as obese, making it a stark symbol of a global epidemic.

Pacific island nations, including American Samoa, have seen rapid lifestyle changes over the past few decades.

The growing reliance on imported, highly processed foods has significantly altered traditional diets. Coupled with increasingly sedentary lifestyles and limited access to fresh, nutritious produce, these shifts have created a perfect storm for obesity and related health issues.

The consequences are severe. According to the World Health Organisation , obesity dramatically increases the risk of chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension, posing significant challenges for healthcare systems and economies.

Addressing these health risks requires not only promoting healthy eating and active living but also improving access to affordable, nutritious food options in vulnerable regions.

This crisis serves as a reminder of the complex interplay between globalisation, dietary habits, and public health. Urgent action is needed to curb the tide of obesity and its associated health risks, both in Pacific island nations and around the world.

In Port Moresby, preparations for the visit are in full swing. The city’s streets have been cleaned, vendors moved, and yellow-and-white Holy See flags, fluttering in the Coral Sea breeze, are displayed along lamp posts.

During his visit, the Pope will spend four days and three nights in the country, addressing bishops, meeting street children, travelling to a remote jungle area, and celebrating mass for tens of thousands of followers.

Among the pilgrims is a group of 43 who trekked over 200 kilometres from the north coast to Port Moresby, traversing dense jungle and rugged terrain.

The visit is seen as a significant moment for Papua New Guinea, a country struggling with social issues such as domestic abuse, witch hunts, and tribal violence. Human Rights Watch has highlighted Papua New Guinea as one of the most dangerous places for women and girls, with 80 per cent of women experiencing violence. In the Highlands, accusations of sorcery often lead to deadly witch hunts. Many hope the Pope's visit will bring attention to these issues and inspire change.

The church plays a key role in providing healthcare, education, and welfare in Papua New Guinea, filling gaps left by the state. The citizens are hopeful that the pope’s presence will foster peace and unity in the country.

"We really need to ensure that we continue to push for action from countries that are the most polluting," Tuvalu Climate Minister Maina Talia told AFP on the sidelines of the summit.

The forum is advocating for a regional climate adaptation fund, dependent on international support, and is calling for a swift transition away from fossil fuels, which are seen as the primary cause of climate disasters.

"The decisions world leaders take in the coming years will determine the fate, first of Pacific Islanders, and then everyone else," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, making a rare visit to the summit said.

The 18-member Pacific Islands Forum is also experiencing internal divisions, as its member countries disagree on how to handle China's growing security presence and ambitions in the region.