Evacuations in wake of earthquake
MELBOURNE: At least one company began evacuating personnel after a powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake hit Papua New Guinea’s energy-rich interior yesterday, causing landslides, damaging buildings and closing oil and gas operations.
The tremor hit in the Southern Highlands about 560km northwest of the capital, Port Moresby, on Sunday morning, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).
A spokesperson at Papua New Guinea’s National Disaster Centre said the agency could not assess damage until communication was re-established with people in the area. He said there were no confirmed casualties, although the International Red Cross in Papua New Guinea said some reports indicated there were “fears of human casualties”.
The Papua New Guinea Defence Force has been mobilised and the government also said it had sent disaster teams.
At least 13 aftershocks with magnitudes of 5.0 or more had rattled the area, but no tsunami warnings were issued.
ExxonMobil said it had closed its Hides gas conditioning plant owing to damage to it camp quarters. It said it had also suspended flights into the nearby Komo airfield until the runway could be surveyed.
PNG oil and gas explorer Oil Search said it had also shut production in the area. The giant Grasberg copper mine in neighbouring Papua province was not affected. – Reuters