A powerful earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale struck a flood-ravaged region of northern Papua New Guinea on Monday, March 24, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Officials confirmed at least five fatalities and estimate that 1,000 homes have been destroyed in the East Sepik Province, according to the news agency AFP.
"So far, around 1,000 homes have been lost," said East Sepik Governor Allan Bird. "Emergency crews are still assessing the impact" of the tremor that "damaged most parts of the province," he added.
According to international media reports, the quake hit at about 6:20 am (local time in PNG) on Sunday, 38 kilometres from the town of Ambunti at a depth of about 40 kilometres, shaking villages along the Sepik River and in surrounding areas.
"The flooding actually covers an area more than 800 kilometres long, and so there are about 60 or 70 villages involved all along the Sepik River," East Sepik province Governor Allan Bird told the ABC.