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By ELIZABETH VUVU
AN earthquake measuring 6.9 on the
Richter scale hit New Ireland province and other parts of the New Guinea
Islands on Wednesday night at around 10.30pm and its aftershocks were
felt 20 minutes later with a magnitude of 5.6.
The Rabaul Volcano Observatory (RVO) confirmed that the shallow
earthquake with a depth of 10km occurred at 10.36pm with its aftershocks
felt at 10.50pm.
The US Geological Survey and the Hawaiian based Pacific Tsunami Warning
Centre also reported that the earthquake had hit New Ireland.
RVO acting assistant director Herman Patia said the earthquake had hit
parts of the New Guinea Islands region but it was not strong enough to
trigger a tsunami.
He said it was felt strongly in Rabaul, New Ireland and Bougainville.
Mr Patia said yesterday that people from those areas telephoned the
observatory and said they had felt the earthquake and its aftershock.
However, he said they had not received any reports of damage as a result
of the earthquake.
Mr Patia said that due to problems with communication, they could not
obtain any reports especially from the southern tip of New Ireland.
Disaster offices in New Ireland, Namatanai and East New Britain
confirmed that they had not received any reports of damages or
casualties.
Mr Patia said the earthquake occurred due to tectonic plate movements
between the Solomon Sea plate and the Pacific plate.
He also clarified that it was not volcanic related.
The US Geological Survey reported that the earthquake’s epicentre was
154km east, south-east of Rabaul and 280km west, north-west of Arawa in
Bougainville.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said a destructive Pacific wide
tsunami was not expected.
Meanwhile, the ash emissions at Mt Tavurvur in Rabaul was still
continuing.
The ash clouds were currently rising for less than a kilometre before
being blown north-west of the volcano.
Moderate ash falls were occurring in down wind areas including Rabaul
town and Nonga.
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