Magnitude 6.9 Earthquake Causes Damage, Fatalities - East Sepik, Papua New Guinea

On 24 March, around 06:20 hours (local time), a 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck about 88 km from Wewak, East Sepik province. At least 5 people were killed and 1000 houses were destroyed across the province. The death toll is expected to rise. A state of emergency was declared as the province has already been affected by flooding since early March. Recovery operations are underway.

Advice

Aftershocks are possible after a major earthquake. Follow the advice of local authorities. If planning to travel to the affected area, be prepared for damaged infrastructure, and disrupted transportation and communication systems.