7.2 magnitude Papua New Guinea earthquake felt in north Queensland
A major earthquake in Papua New Guinea has been felt in far north Queensland but there’s no tsunami risk to Australia.
The 7.2-magnitude quake hit on Tuesday about 30km north of the town of Bulolo, in PNG’s Morobe Province.
“No #tsunami threat to Australia from #earthquake felt in #FarNorthQueensland (magnitude 7.0 near the Eastern New Guinea Region, PNG),” Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology posted on Twitter.
It’s unclear if the quake has caused any significant damage but video footage from people in the country shows houses swaying as it hit.
Christopher Lam, who was in Lae, about 100km north of Bulolo, said the rumble was audible.
“It was big. You can hear it. Got stuff thrown around in the house and the power is now cut off,” he tweeted, alongside a video that showed his home rattling.
According to the Richter Scale, a 7-magnitude quake is equivalent to the detonation of 20 billion kilograms of dynamite and can cause serious damage to building foundations and underground pipes.
Officials said 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,” Bulolo police station commander Inspector Leo Kaikas, told AFP.
“We are still assessing the situation.”
This was a big one that lasted for a bit in Lae. I only caught the tail end of it on film but it was big. You can hear it. Got stuff thrown around in the house and the power is now cut off. pic.twitter.com/qwuE5obqzL
— Christopher Lam (@chrislampng) May 6, 2019
Staff at Bulolo’s Pine Lodge hotel said there was very minor damage from objects falling off tables, but nothing more serious.
Residents in Lae, more than 100 kilometres away, said the quake knocked things off shelves and worktops and cut electricity in some areas.
“I had just woken up,” Mr Lam, a designer who lives in the city, told AFP.
“It lasted a little more than 30 seconds. We had household items knocked off their shelves.
“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 kilometres of the epicentre, according to UN data.
with AAP and AFP
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