Powerful M7.5 earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea
A powerful earthquake registered by the USGS as M7.5 hit New Britain, Papua New Guinea at 12:58 UTC (22:58 LT) on May 14, 2019. The agency is reporting a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). EMSC is reporting M7.5 at a depth of 48 km (29.8 miles).
The epicenter was located 44.2 km (27.5 miles) NE of Kokopo (population 26 273) and 258 km (160 miles) of New Ireland, Papua New Guinea.
There are 240 000 people living within 100 km (62 miles).
18 000 people are estimated to have felt very strong shaking, 232 000 strong, 53 000 moderate and 331 000 light.
Based on the preliminary earthquake parameters, hazardous tsunami waves are possible within 1 000 km (620 miles) along the coasts of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, NTWC said.
The USGS issued a green alert for shaking-related fatalities and economic losses. There is a low likelihood of casualties and damage.
Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are a mix of vulnerable and earthquake resistant construction. The predominant vulnerable building types are informal (metal, timber, GI etc.) and wood construction.
Recent earthquakes in this area have caused secondary hazards such as tsunamis and landslides that might have contributed to losses.
Estimated population exposure to earthquake shaking
Selected cities exposed
Regional seismicity
Note: This report is based on preliminary data and is being updated
Featured image credit: Google, TW/SAM
If you value what we do here, create your ad-free account and support our journalism.
Your support makes a difference
Dear valued reader,
We hope that our website has been a valuable resource for you.
The reality is that it takes a lot of time, effort, and resources to maintain and grow this website. We rely on the support of readers like you to keep providing high-quality content.
If you have found our website to be helpful, please consider making a contribution to help us continue to bring you the information you need. Your support means the world to us and helps us to keep doing what we love.
Support us by choosing your support level – Silver, Gold or Platinum. Other support options include Patreon pledges and sending us a one-off payment using PayPal.
Thank you for your consideration. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Teo Blašković
Commenting rules and guidelines
We value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and welcome healthy discussions on our website. In order to maintain a respectful and positive community, we ask that all commenters follow these rules:
We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these rules. By commenting on our website, you agree to abide by these guidelines. Thank you for helping to create a positive and welcoming environment for all.