Papua New Guinea Earthquake: 3 killed, 1,000 homes destroyed in magnitude 6.9 quake – World News

A powerful earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale struck a remote area of western Papua New Guinea, resulting in the loss of at least three lives and causing extensive damage to approximately 1,000 homes, according to officials.

The quake jolted the East Sepik region around 6:20 am local time on Sunday (20:20 GMT Saturday), near the town of Ambunti, situated approximately 470 miles (756 kilometres) northwest of the capital, Port Moresby. It occurred at a depth of about 25 miles (40 kilometres), as reported by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Allan Bird, Governor of East Sepik province, shared on Facebook that initial assessments indicate around 1,000 homes were demolished by the earthquake, compounding the challenges faced by the region, which was already grappling with extensive flooding earlier in March.

“The flooding actually covers an area more than 800 kilometres long, and so there’s about maybe 60 or 70 villages involved all along the Sepik River,” Bird explained in an interview with the ABC on Monday.

Emergency crews were already active in the area due to the ongoing flooding when the earthquake struck. Bird emphasised that while the floods were a familiar challenge, the unexpected earthquake caused the most significant devastation.

“Shelter, clean water, food, and canvases to keep belongings dry are the most immediate pressing needs for the village communities,” he stated.

Papua New Guinea, located north of Australia in the South Pacific, has faced seismic events in the past. Last year, the country experienced two earthquakes in April, one of which, measuring magnitude 7.0, claimed four lives in a remote northern area. In September 2022, a magnitude 7.6 quake struck a remote region, resulting in the loss of 21 lives.

Situated on the eastern half of the island of New Guinea, Papua New Guinea lies on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” known for its high seismic activity. Additionally, the region has been grappling with civil unrest, with rioting in its two largest cities in January resulting in 15 deaths, followed by tribal violence last month that claimed the lives of at least 26 combatants and an unconfirmed number of bystanders.

(With inputs from agencies)