A massive 7.6 earthquake struck Papua New Guinea on Sunday, causing landslides, cracking roads and damaging buildings.
While the extent of the damage remains unclear, photos showed debris strewn across highways and cracks opening up in roads.
The quake struck at a depth of 90 kilometers (roughly 56 miles) near Kainantu, a town with a population of roughly 8,500 people, the United States Geological Survey reported.
There have been no reports of deaths and no official confirmation of the damage caused, but residents took to social media to post pictures of cracked roads, damaged cars and items falling off supermarket shelves, Reuters reported.
The US National Tsunami Warning Center said there was no threat of tsunami waves. Earlier in the day it had said hazardous tsunami waves were possible within 1,000 kilometers (roughly 621 miles) along the coasts of Papua New Guinea and Indonesia.
An earthquake of a similar size that hit the country's remote highlands in 2018 killed more than 60 people and wounded 500, destroying houses, causing landslides and damaging a major gas plant.
Papua New Guinea is vulnerable to earthquakes because it lies along the "Ring of Fire" in the Pacific Ocean, where shifting tectonic plates push against each other, causing tremors.
The "ring" stretches along a 25,000-mile (40,000-kilometer) arc from the boundary of the Pacific Plate, to smaller plates such as the Philippine Sea plate, to the Cocos and Nazca Plates that line the edge of the Pacific Ocean.
It is home to the world's most active volcanoes.
People most at risk from volcanic eruptions and earthquakes live in countries that lie along the Ring of Fire, including Chile, Japan, the US west coast, and other island nations including the Solomon Islands to the western seaboard of North and South Americas.
A 7.6-magnitude earthquake shook Papua New Guinea Sunday, damaging buildings, triggering landslides and killing at least five people, with several others severely injured.
Residents in northern towns near the epicentre reported intense shaking mid-morning that cracked roads and rattled the cladding off buildings.
Local member of parliament Kessy Sawang said at least two people had died in remote mountain villages, with four others airlifted to hospital in critical condition.
"There has been widespread damage," she told AFP, adding that a landslide had buried homes and "split" one village where people had "lost their houses".
In nearby Wau, Koranga Alluvial Mining said three miners had been buried alive.
There are limited communications in the area, few government resources and very few paved roads, making assessment and rescue efforts difficult.
Small aviation companies and missionary groups were involved in airlifting some of the injured across the rugged jungle landscape.
"It's very difficult, the terrain, the weather. It's challenging," said Nellie Pumai of Manolos Aviation, which had transported one person out and was trying to return.
In the eastern highland town of Goroka, residents captured images of window awnings falling off the cracked walls of a local university.
It was "very strong", said Hivi Apokore, a worker at the Jais Aben Resort near the coastal town of Madang.
"Everything was like sitting on a sea -- just floating."
The quake was felt as far as the capital Port Moresby about 300 miles (480 kilometres) away.
The US Geological Survey initially issued a tsunami warning for nearby coastal areas, but subsequently said the threat had passed.
But fearful locals near the sea nevertheless fled for higher ground -- reporting that the water level had suddenly dropped.
'Massive'
The nation's leader, James Marape, said the quake was "massive" and told people to be cautious, but said he expected the damage to be less than that from a 2018 quake and series of aftershocks, which killed an estimated 150 people.
However, the scale of the damage and number of casualties from Sunday's quake was still unclear.
"National and provincial disaster agencies, as well as leaders, have been asked to assess the damage and injuries to people and attend to these as soon as possible," Marape said.
State-backed communications firm DataCo said it was experiencing "multiple service disruptions" to the operation of a domestic undersea communications cable as well as the PIPE Pacific Cable 1 that runs from Sydney to Guam.
It was not yet clear if there was any damage to regional airports.
The quake struck at a depth of 61 kilometres (38 miles), about 67 kilometres from the town of Kainantu, according to the US Geological Survey.
Papua New Guinea sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", causing it to experience frequent earthquakes.
Earlier Sunday, the US Geological Survey also reported two strong quakes in the remote Mentawai Islands off the western coast of Sumatra in neighbouring Indonesia.
Reports say death toll has risen to 10 after Papua New Guinea quake
Media in Papua New Guinea are reporting as many as 10 people have now died following the weekend earthquake.
The 7.6 magnitude quake, which was followed by a 5.0 magnitude shake an hour later, affected much of the Highlands, as well as the coastal provinces of Madang and Morobe.
It said four people have now died in Nawaeb, and three in Wau-Waria.
The secretary general of the Papua New Guinea Red Cross, Valachi Quagliata, estimated that about 100 families were hurt by falling debris, either as their houses collapsed, or from landslides.
He doubts all the people injured in the earthquake have been airlifted to safety.
The Post-Courier is reporting that the latest confirmed death is of a man killed by falling rocks by a river in Nawaeb District.
The newspaper reports eight people in the area have been injured and admitted to hospital or health centres.
"I don't think everyone has been brought out because of the geographical location of the earthquake. There's still a few finding their way to where the choppers are airlifting the people out."
There has been an extensive airlift because of the lack of medical facilities in the remote areas but he is certain there are some people still to be reached.
Quagliata said many people in the Highlands now face a tough period ahead.
"It's severe at the moment because of the fallen houses and other damage. Following the earthquake, there are assessments going on with PNG Red Cross. We're still assessing the situation right now."
It seems there have been quite a few earthquakes in the past week, since the 6.9 hit the equator in the Atlantic, on the 4th. Is it normal to have a worldwide swarm?
And when you hear of fightings and reports of fightings, do not be troubled – it has to take place, but the end is not yet. “For nation shall rise against nation, and reign against reign. And there shall be earthquakes in various places, and there shall be scarcities of food, and disturbances. These are the beginnings of birth-pains.“
Marqos (Mark) 13:7-8 TS2009
„“And you shall begin to hear of fightings and reports of fightings. See that you are not troubled, for these have to take place, but the end is not yet. “For nation shall rise against nation, and reign against reign. And there shall be scarcities of food, and deadly diseases, and earthquakes in places. “And all these are the beginning of birth pains.“
Mattithyahu (Matthew) 24:6-8 TS2009
„But when you hear of fightings and unrests, do not be alarmed, for these have to take place first, but the end is not immediately. Then He said to them, “Nation shall rise against nation, and reign against reign. “And there shall be great earthquakes in various places, and scarcities of food and deadly diseases. And there shall be horrors, and great signs from heaven.“
Luqas (Luke) 21:9-11 TS2009
„And I looked when He opened the sixth seal and saw a great earthquake came to be. And the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood. And the stars of the heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its unripe figs, being shaken by a strong wind. And heaven departed like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. And the sovereigns of the earth, and the great ones, and the rich ones, and the commanders, and the mighty, and every slave and every free one, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him sitting on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, because the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”“
Danyal "Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him sitting on the throne"
Who is this about? Those who built fortresses in the mountains, thinking to retain their earthly power in the face of cataclysm? Those who have reason to fear a loving God? It does seem to me that a person who regards God as love, would not fear to meet Him.
ReRan 1. You mentioning Pagan Names say his True And Paleo Hebrew Name If you want to have a normal discussion It’s not hard Repeat exactly after me Ya-hu-ah Yahuah and G*d is a title or A general term you can mean any G*d but its often associated with the fallen one
2.Relgions Like Christianity,Islam,Judaism and so forth is pagan Cause Relgion in the General sense is the Indoctrination of Man being build by Mans hands if you would read the scriptures when you would know the Almighty Yahuah doesn’t dwell in Houses or temples made out of mans hands and that Our Body is his Spirit Temple and Relgion in The basic sense Got created by man for Mental And Financial Slavery and yeah we should only stick only to the scriptures and to the true Paleo Hebrew names of the Almighty Father and creator 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄(Yahuah )and his Son 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏 (Yahusha)Mashiach don‘t Tell me that these names change over the years You asking Why ? No problem I explain it to you answer me truly on this your Name whatever it it is when you travel throughout the world does it stay the same or does it Change?
3.which Jews do You mean? Cause Hebrews And Jews are two different Pair of shoes Do you mean The True and Original Hebrews That were dark skinned or Be considered Black ? Or Do you mean with Jews The Ashkenhazi Jews that came mostly from Eastern Europe That only speak Yiddish and Not even Hebrew only if they have to ? Or do you mean the Rabbicinal Pharisee or Babylonian Zionist Jews ? If you mean the wrong ones it has been written about them
„“See, I am giving up those of the congregation of Satan, who say they are Yahudim and are not, but lie. See, I am making them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.“
Ḥazon (Revelation) 3:9 TS2009
4. if you would read the scriptures then you would know the Promise of Everlasting Life etc was not only made to the Hebrews only but Also for All Mankind ? See The Tanak (Oldconvenant) you would call it the Old Testament was Like this that only The Hebrews alone could find Redemption and Salvation but that Changed Thru The Brit Hadasha (Renewed Covenant ) You would call It The New Testament thru his Son 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏(Yahusha) HaMashiach(The Messiah) that means not Only The lost sheep Of The house Of Yasharal (Isarel) could Find salvation also All mankind who believe in him Yes he made this Very Generous gift and offer for all For whoever believe in Him and that they would find Salvation And By the way Yahuah shows no Partiality with Man see the Most see this that they will be saved by they’re DNA but DNA won’t save you alone if you don’t obey his Laws and commands And as a Example What you you think would Yahuah show more Favour and Compassion to ? To the One Who Has The DNA but is disobedient and a stiff necked person To his commands And Laws? And doesn’t really love him Or to The One who is not by DNA a Hebrew But Giving His Best to Be obedient towards his laws and commands so That he is doer of The Torah and that also truly loves him? Cause like I said Yahuah shows no partiality with Man and even he know The thoughts And hearts of Man
Comment: AFP reports: Update September 14
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