At least 16 people have died after a powerful earthquake caused landslides in a remote region of Papua New Guinea (PNG), officials say.
A 7.5-magnitude quake rattled villages and a large gold mine in the country’s Enga province on Monday morning.
Southern Highlands governor William Powi said on Wednesday that authorities in his region were still trying to assess the extent of the damage, and his people were traumatized, with the disaster causing “catastrophic havoc and destruction.”
The landslides are making it difficult for rescue teams to reach the region, AFP news agency reports.
Rova said according to information from ExxonMobil, which had mining operations in the affected regions, more than 10,000 families were affected by the quake.
The governor of Hela province, Philip Undialu, told local media the damage was “extensive”.
“Our police station, courthouse, hospital … even private houses have been ripped apart or sunk into the ground,” Mr Undialu said from the country’s capital, Port Moresby.
Oil and gas companies were forced to immediately suspend operations in the region to assess any danger caused by the quake.
Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and a team of ministers visited the affected areas on Tuesday, and an emergency meeting of the PNG cabinet was scheduled for Wednesday, with the government expected to declare a national state of emergency.
“The National Disaster Centre is working with provincial authorities to assess any damage and impacts on service delivery in the area.”
> Shiuly Akter
At least 16 Dead after Strongest ever Earthquake Hits Papua New Guinea
