PNG Govt sends assessment team following Earthquakes in the Highlands Region
According to a statement released by the Chief Secretary's Office, “The National Disaster Centre is working with provincial authorities to assess any damage and impacts on service delivery in the area.
“The Papua New Guinea Defence Force has also been mobilised to assist with the assessment and the delivery of assistance to affected people as well as the restoration of services and infrastructure.
“Information will be provided as this is made available from assessment teams in the area.
“As this assessment process is underway, it is important that people in the Southern Highlands and Hela be aware of the dangers of earthquake aftershocks.
“It is advisable to stay out of multi-story buildings, to be aware of the potential of landslides, and to be prepared to move to open ground in the event that an aftershock is felt.”
The Earthquake
The National Geophysical Observatory confirms an earthquake was recorded at 03.44 am this morning at 6.1 degrees South, 142.7 degrees East, which is about 30 km South of Tari and 40 km North West of Lake Kutubu in the Southern Highlands region.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 25 kilometers deep with a magnitude measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale.
This was due to fault movements in the Papuan Fold and Thrust Belt, which runs parallel to the axcial mountain range of PNG.
There is a potential of significant damage from this earthquake because of the large magnitude and shallow depth of the event.
A number of aftershocks have occurred, and a more likely in the coming days. The largest of the aftershock so far is of Magnitude 5.5.
However, there is little possibility that this earthquake would have generated a tsunami.
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