PNG Earthquake

A powerful but deep 7.2-magnitude earthquake rocked Papua New Guinea.


An earthquake - cutting power and knocking items off shelves

though there were no immediate reports of serious damage.

The quake struck at a depth of 127 kilometers (80 miles)

about 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the town of Bulolo at 2119 GMT

the quake was felt in the capital Port Moresby about 250 kilometres away.

there were no immediate reports of major damage and
the depth of the tremor meant there was no tsunami threat.

"We have no reports as yet" of serious damage.

"We are still assessing the situation.

there was very minor damage from objects falling off tables,
but nothing more serious.


the quake knocked things off shelves and worktops
and cut electricity in some areas.

"I had just woken up,"

 "It lasted a little more than 30 seconds.

We had household items knocked off their shelves
and the power got cut.

"Things seem to have returned to normal.

No structural damage here, though I'm not sure about other buildings in the city."

There are estimated to be around 110,000 people living
within 50 kilometers of the epicentre, according to UN data.
while there were no early reports of damage,
but news from the quake zone could take time to trickle in.
"We are awaiting assessments,".
The country's rugged highlands region was hit by a 7.5-magnitude quake

 that buried homes and triggered landslides, killing at least 125 people.


The scale of that disaster did not become apparent for days

due to PNG's poor communications and infrastructure.

There are regular earthquakes in Papua New Guinea,

which sits on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire –
a hotspot for seismic activity due to friction between tectonic plates.
Along the South Solomon trench, an area of the Pacific that includes PNG,

there have been 13 quakes of magnitude 7.5 or more recorded since 1900, according to USGS data.