At least five dead in a 7.6 magnitude earthquake in Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea experienced a 7.6 magnitude earthquake that left at least five dead. According to the United States Geological Survey, the earthquake struck at a depth of 38 miles about 41 miles from the eastern town of Kainantu. The quake shook the country, damaged buildings and triggered landslides. As per information, two persons died in remote mountain villages. Three others were buried alive. Arrangements were made to airlift four others to hospital. They were in critical condition. There was widespread damage as a landslide buried homes and “split” one village where people “lost their houses.” The nation’s leader, James Marape, described the earthquake as “massive.” He advised his people to be cautious and added that the damage would not be as massive as the 2018 earthquake. It had killed an estimated 150 people. Five killed as powerful earthquake strikes Papua New Guinea. The authorities have yet to assess the extent of damage and number of casualties.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Asia and the Pacific said people had suffered injuries from falling structures or debris, and some health centers, homes, rural roads and highways are damaged. There are damages in the power infrastructure with consequent outages across the Eastern Highlands. Residents shared images and videos on social media of cracked roads, damaged buildings and cars, and items falling off supermarket shelves. Small aviation companies and missionary groups involved themselves to airlift some of the injured across the rugged jungle landscape. Locals who resided near the epicenter described the vibration as much more vigorous than previous quakes. Earthquakes are common in Papua New Guinea because it sits on the Pacific Ocean’s “Ring of Fire.” This is a hotspot for seismic activity due to friction between tectonic plates. A 9.1 magnitude quake in Indonesia in 2004 triggered a tsunami that killed 220,000 throughout the region.

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A 6.6 magnitude earthquake hit southwestern China and left at least 65 dead

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The rainfall recorded was the highest since authorities began keeping records in 1907. Photos in social media showed people wading across roads up to their thighs in water. In parts of Seoul, there was blockage of drains. These led to travel problems in the streets and subway stations. The Seoul Metro suspended services in some portions because of the floods. Damages included crumbling of parts of pavement apart from damaged vehicles that were swept up by floodwater. Loss of power left many without power in some areas south of the Han River. Yoon Suk Yeol, president of South Korea sent condolences to the victims. He also assured about conducting an on-site inspection and work to prevent additional damage. He realized the need to review the disaster management system. This is necessary in view of increasing instances of climate crisis. Countries in East Asia are experiencing more intense rainfall. The summer monsoons could grow stronger and more unpredictable due to global warming. This is according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Parts of Japan also faced similar situation as parts of Hokkaido reporting floods with possibilities of flash floods and landslides.

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