Papua New Guinea hit by 6.2 magnitude earthquake, epicenter 72 kilometers away

On Saturday, April 12th, a 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Papua New Guinea, a Pacific island nation. As of now, no tsunami warning has been issued, and relevant authorities are continuing to monitor the situation.

According to data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake occurred at 13:47 local time on April 12th, with the epicenter located offshore of New Ireland Province in Papua New Guinea. The quake had a depth of 72 kilometers, categorizing it as a moderately deep earthquake. The epicenter was situated approximately 114 kilometers southeast of Kokopo on the eastern coast of New Britain Island.

Emonck Abelis, a receptionist at the Kokopo Beach Bungalow Resort, reported that the earthquake lasted about a minute but did not cause any significant damage in the surrounding area.

Papua New Guinea is situated in the “Ring of Fire,” a region known for its volcanic and seismic activities. Although earthquakes often occur in remote areas with sparse population, they can still trigger destructive landslides leading to infrastructure damage.

Since 1900, Papua New Guinea has experienced over a hundred strong earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.0 or higher, resulting in significant casualties and property losses. The region remains prone to seismic events due to its location along the Pacific Ring of Fire.