Papua New Guinea was hit by a violent earthquake at night from Saturday to Sunday. The US Geological Survey issued a tsunami warning after the quake for the area within a radius of 1,000 km from the epicenter.
The earthquake measured 7.6 on the Richter scale. This was announced by the European-Mediterranean Seismological Center (EMSC). The earthquake occurred at a depth of 61 km, about 67 km from the city of Kainanto.
The USGS later withdrew the tsunami warning because the danger was said to have passed. According to the Bureau of Meteorology, there was no danger of a tsunami in Australia.
People felt the earthquake all over the country. From the towns near the epicenter to the capital, Port Moresby, about 300 miles away. No casualties were reported so far, but power outages and the destruction of buildings were reported.
Pictures circulating on social media show that a university in the eastern town of Goroka was severely damaged. There were large cracks in the walls and window awnings collapsed during the earthquake.
Tell the locals in Lai and Madang, the closest to the epicenter France Press agency The tremor was much stronger than in previous earthquakes. “Everything was very strong, like sitting on the sea – just floating,” said Hivi Apokore, an employee at the Jais Aben resort near Madang.
Papua New Guinea lies on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, where about 90 percent of earthquakes occur worldwide.
