Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
A powerful earthquake, registering magnitude 6.6, struck close to Lae, Papua New Guinea’s second-largest city, on Tuesday, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) confirmed.
The seismic event has immediately sparked concern over potential damage in the country’s Morobe province, which is already prone to natural disasters. The quake’s epicentre was situated just 26 km (approximately 16 miles) from Lae, a vital port city with a population exceeding 76,000.
City police official Mildred Ongige described the intensity of the event to Reuters by telephone, stating a “very huge” earthquake was felt. “It was a few minutes ago so we have no further details of damage but we are concerned,” she added, underscoring the immediate fear among residents.
The quake was notably shallow, striking at a depth of 10 km, a factor that typically amplifies shaking and the risk of surface damage. While local reports of major destruction were not immediately available, authorities are assessing the situation across the affected area.
Despite the intensity, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) did not issue a tsunami warning for the region.
Papua New Guinea sits directly on the volatile “Ring of Fire,” a vast basin in the Pacific Ocean characterised by frequent and powerful seismic and volcanic activity. The country remains highly vulnerable to such events. Just last March, a magnitude 6.7 earthquake devastated the remote East Sepik province, killing three people and destroying over 1,000 homes—a stark reminder of the human cost of living in the seismically active region. The latest tremor renews focus on the country’s infrastructure resilience and its preparedness for natural hazards.
