At least 3 dead in ‘massive’ Papua New Guinea quake
- According to the US Geological Survey, the quake hit at 9.46am local time. Initial readings put the quake at a depth of some 50km to 60km
- A magnitude 7.5 earthquake in 2018 in Papua New Guinea’s central region killed at least 125 people
At least three people died after a powerful earthquake hit a remote part of Papua New Guinea on Sunday morning, authorities said. Others were injured and infrastructure damaged in the magnitude 7.6 jolt that was felt across the Pacific country.
The three people died in a landslide in the gold-mining town of Wau, said Morobe Provincial Disaster Director Charley Masange. Other people had been injured from falling structures or debris, and there was damage to some health centres, homes, rural roads and highways, Masange said.
It could take some time to assess the full extent of the injuries and damage in the region, Masange said, adding the sparse and scattered population and lack of large buildings near the epicentre in the nation’s largely undeveloped highlands might have helped prevent a bigger disaster, given the earthquake was so strong.
Small aviation companies and missionary groups were involved in airlifting some of the injured across the rugged jungle landscape.
“It’s very difficult, the terrain, the weather. It’s challenging,” said Nellie Pumai of Manolos Aviation, which had transported one person out and was trying to return.
Renagi Ravu was meeting two colleagues at his home in Kainantu when the quake struck.
Ravu tried to stand up from his chair but could not maintain his balance and ended up in a kind of group hug with his colleagues, while plates and cups crashed from his shelves to the ground, he said. His children, aged nine and two, had their drinks and breakfast spill over.