Powerful 7.1 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Papua New Guinea: At Least Three Reported Dead

In Papua New Guinea's East Sepik province, a strong 7.1 magnitude earthquake has claimed at least three lives.

Just after 4 AM on Monday, the earthquake struck the isolated Chambri Lake, southwest of Wewak, at a depth of 60 kilometers.

Three Reported Dead

One fatality was reported in Wewak, while two fatalities were reported in the Angoram district, according to a spokesman for the Natural Disaster Centre in Papua New Guinea.

The two who were reported dead were his family members, according to Darren Mai, a local councilor in the Angoram district.

According to Mai, a house fell on a member of his family and her infant son. Both relatives died instantly.

Early reports from nearby villages stated that numerous homes had collapsed and people needed medical attention.

To transport people to medical facilities, the NGO Samaritan Aviation has been using seaplanes and landing them on the Sepik River.

Aftershocks Following 7.1 Magnitude Earthquake

Colles Pinga, a resident of Korogu, reported that three houses had fallen in his village to the north of the epicenter, injuring families. They are currently experiencing aftershocks.

Pinga claimed that everyone is frightened and that there is a lot of silence.

Landslides are observable along the riverbanks, and they are quite terrifying.

All six districts of East Sepik were affected by the earthquake, according to Colonel Carl Wrakonei of the Natural Disaster Center.

They couldn't possibly cover all six districts, Wrakonei claimed. Mobility and accessibility will be one of the challenges; it will be difficult.

According to ABC News, Papua New Guinea's National Disaster Centre said in a statement that it was conducting assessments of the provinces to determine the severity of the damage and the number of casualties. The National Disaster Centre is likewise awaiting the provinces' reports, and as soon as they are received, they will present a report on the full scope of the damage, including the statistics on casualties.

According to the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), via Reuters, the earthquake had a 7.2 magnitude. According to the center, the earthquake occurred at a depth of 80 km. After the earthquake, there was no tsunami warning, according to the US Tsunami Warning System.

WorldData.info says that a few hours later, at 9:13 AM, Papua New Guinea's grounds trembled once more and registered a 4.3 magnitude earthquake at a depth of 99.38 km.

Papua New Guinea

There are powerful earthquakes in Papua New Guinea that have far-reaching effects. Within a few hundred-kilometer radius, earthquakes with a magnitude greater than 8.0 are wreaking havoc and destroying many homes. Considering the size of the nation, earthquakes happen more frequently than average but rarely cause extensive damage.

However, more than 3,300 people have died as a direct result of earthquakes since 1950.

29 of the past earthquakes resulted in a subsequent tsunami that killed more people and caused more damage.

On November 16, 2000, an 8.0 on the Richter scale earthquake occurred in the New Ireland, Duke of York region. Two people died as a result of tectonic plate movement at a 55-kilometer depth. The earthquake also caused a tsunami, which resulted in additional casualties and destruction, WordData.info reports.