Powerful new 6.5 magnitude earthquake strikes Papua New Guinea

The very shallow quake comes after a 7.5 magnitude quake in February that killed at least 125 people.

Image provided by UNICEF shows ten-year-old Stanton standing in the ruins of his home in Daga, Papua New Guinea after the February quake. Source: UNICEF/HANDOUT

A powerful 6.5 magnitude earthquake struck the remote highlands of Papua New Guinea on Saturday, the European earthquake monitoring service reported.

The very shallow quake was only two kms deep and 93 km southwest of Porgera in the Enga province, said the EMSC.

Quakes are common in Papua New Guinea, which sits on the Pacific’s “Ring of Fire”, a hotspot for seismic activity due to friction between tectonic plates.

PNG was hit by a 7.5-magnitude quake on February 26 that buried homes and triggered landslides in its highlands region, killing at least 125 people.

Its mountainous and remote terrain means it often takes several days for information about damage from quakes to reach officials and aid agencies.

The remote and mountainous region is struggling to recover from February’s quake, which caused landslides that buried homes and cuts roads. The United Nations estimates that some 270,000 people are in need of immediate assistance and 43,116 people remain displaced in 44 locations and care centres.

The United Nations pulled out its aid workers just two days before the latest quake due to violence from residents. They have vowed to return once it is safe to do so.