The death toll from a magnitude 7.6 magnitude earthquake that hit Papua New Guinea on Sunday has risen to seven, and authorities fear many more could be missing, dead, or buried under landslides.
The earthquake struck in the Markham Valley, in Morobe, on the north coast of Papua New Guinea, and was followed by a second 5.0 magnitude earthquake.
Police Commissioner David Manning, who is in charge of the National Command Centre Response, said that the tremors caused damage to buildings and roads and a number of landslides were triggered.
“Sadly, seven people have been confirmed dead as a result of these landslides,” he said. “I offer our condolences to the families of those who have died in these tragic circumstances.”
He also warned about the “significant risk of aftershocks”, warning people to avoid areas where there is the potential for landslides and coastal areas that could be at risk of tsunamis.
The most significant damage reported to date has been in the districts of Morobe, Eastern Highlands, Madang and parts of Gulf Province.
Rai Coast Community Leader Kevin Sandip said that so far there had been two confirmed deaths in the area.
“One was a woman, she was covered by the land slide and buried under and the other was a little girl, she was struck by a big stone that fell on her during the landslide. She died instantly,” he said over the phone from Rai Coast in Madang.
“A lot of people are wounded and those in critical conditions have been flown out to nearby hospital. But many of our homes have been damaged, and some are buried under the landslide.”
“So right now, we are helping one another, we are visiting nearby villages and helping wherever we can.”
The new MP for Rai Coast, Kessy Sawang, said that while there were two confirmed deaths in the area, there were fears the death toll could be much higher.
“The damage is extensive, houses destroyed, some buried under the landslide. A lot of people are injured and we fear some people may also be buried under the landslide,” she said.
“I’m very worried about the villages in the remotest part of the district, places where there is no telecommunication network.”
Telecommunications and electricity have been knocked out in some parts of the country, meaning that the extent of the damage and the true death toll is not yet known.
Prime minister James Marape urged those affected to call their local disaster offices for assistance, or a national hotline.
“Teams will also be deployed to make assessments, but let me assure the people, the government stands ready to assist, and we are taking stock and will respond,” he said.
