7.0-magnitude quake hits western Papua New Guinea: USGS
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A 7.0-magnitude quake with a depth of 62 kilometers cracks through northwest Papua New Guinea.
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This photograph taken from social media shows the extent of the damage some areas' infrastructure suffered. (Social Media)
Before dawn on Monday, a strong 7.0-magnitude earthquake shook a remote area in northwest Papua New Guinea, toppling a few homes but not immediately causing any fatalities.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 62 kilometers (38 miles) close to the Chambri Lake system in the sparsely populated area of East Sepik Province, according to the US Geological Service.
In a message on social media, Johnson Wapunai, a local member of parliament, said that "so far, we have lost a few houses, it is fortunate for us that no life (is) lost," adding that "Chambri lake is boiling and the continuous quake is still happening right now."
He urged people to watch out for falling objects or trees and to be on alert for further seismic activity.
No tsunami warning was issued.
A doctor who was on the scene took photos that revealed the quake damaged internal floors and lifted paving stones at a new regional hospital that was being built just 60 kilometers away.
Loosening of soft ground in the earthquake zone can result in significant subsidence, horizontal ground sliding, and significant harm, according to the USGS.
An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.2 also struck the isolated New Britain area in late February, which is part of an archipelago in eastern Papua New Guinea.
