Quake hits Madang

By STAFF REPORTERS
A magnitude-6.7 earthquake rocked Madang, parts of Western Highlands, Chimbu and Morobe on Saturday, with minor injuries and damage to properties reported so far.
Madang Health Authority chief executive officer Fidelis Waipma said the Modilon Hospital “is okay”.
“We have no major incidents reported as of this (yesterday) morning.
“Only minor injuries reported (with) no deaths or major causalities at this point in time.”
Madang’s Divine Word University’s perimeter brick fence was damaged, the Madang airport’s runway developed cracks, and homes near the epicenter also damaged.
Mobile networks in Madang were also cut off with locals reporting that telecommunication towers were damaged and the Ramu nickel-cobalt mine was also affected.
DataCo chief executive officer Paul Komboi said: “Our infrastructures, systems, equipment and tools are holding. We will inform if there are any damage and issues affecting our network. But for now, our network is stable.”
Meanwhile, Bank South Pacific Financial Services Group Ltd general manager retail bank Daniel Faunt said there was “minimal impact to BSP operations and we will be operating business as usual”.
Madang government officials are assessing the extent of the damage.
There is a total power outage in Madang. PNG Power Limited confirmed that its generation, transmission and distribution assets were damaged.
“The team is assessing the damage and will eventually have the power supply restored,” a company statement said.
According to the Department of Mineral Policy and Geohazards Management, the 6.7 magnitude earthquake struck at 6.34pm on Saturday.
The epicentre was near Saidor in Rai Coast, about 56km south east of Madang town. It had a depth of 54km.
“The earthquake occurred as a result of the subduction/collision of the South Bismarck Sea Plate and the Solomon Sea Plate, beneath the Finsteere range (in) Madang,” a department statement said.
It added that an aftershock occurred at 6.40pm within the vicinity of Saidor. The aftershock measuring 6.9 magnitude occurred at a depth of 71km.
“This was followed by another moderate earthquake (magnitude 5.4) at 7.18pm at a depth of 114km.
“Due to a shallow depth (less than 100km) of the earthquakes, there is a chance of some damage occurring in the epicenter region. There is also an unconfirmed report of damage to the traffic tower in Mt Hagen as a result of the second earthquake.”
The department added that the earthquake occurred on land and there was no potential for a tsunami generation.
“Earthquake aftershocks could likely continue for some time. Communities within the earthquake epicentre area need to take precautionary measures,” it said.