Strong earthquake hits northeastern Papua New Guinea

A 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck northeastern Papua New Guinea early on Monday, according to the US Geological Survey. The quake occurred just after 4:00am local time, 62 kilometers beneath the surface, 97 kilometers from the seaside town of Wewak and 100 kilometers east of the border with Indonesia. No tsunami warning was issued.

Despite the area being sparsely populated, the USGS warned that the loosening of soft ground in the seismic zone could harm nearby settlements. This loosening, or liquefaction, can result in significant subsidence, horizontal ground sliding, and significant damage.

In late February, the remote New Britain region, part of an archipelago in eastern Papua New Guinea, was struck by a magnitude 6.2 earthquake.