PNG recently experienced a massive earthquake on the Richter scale of 6.9, hitting hard into the region. In the early hours, a devastating earthquake of magnitude 6.9 in PNG shook the land, killing at least five casualties and causing devastation for more than 1,000 homes.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey data, the earthquake’s epicenter was in the United States but felt in different parts of the country. The quake caused landslides, damage to infrastructure, and, worse, the primary cause of structural collapse of buildings, particularly in the most remote and rural areas.
Local governments and international humanitarian organizations have sent emergency missions to help the affected communities, and some search and rescue operations are underway to look for anyone trapped under felled trees or other unstable structures.
The earthquake has also led to the collapse of essential services, including water and electricity supplies, complicating humanitarian efforts to help the survivors. Medical care and other basic needs have become increasingly difficult to access. A collapsed building in Haiti, 22 January 2010.
The prime minister sent condolences to the family members of those killed and pledged that the government would assist in recovery efforts, saying, ‘The time to demonstrate a united spirit and a spirit of cooperation among citizens will have arrived.’ He also urged international partners to assist the people of Papua New Guinea.
The tragedy of the earthquake shows the fragility of communities in seismically active regions and the urgency of disaster preparedness and mitigation planning. Post-recovery planning should focus on providing relief services to the victims and strengthening communities’ resilience to natural disasters in the future.
Officials ask residents to stay alert and follow safety protocols as aftershocks abound. The road to recovery will be long and steep, but with local and external stakeholders coming together, affected communities in PNG can one day return to normal.
Stay tuned for further updates on the situation as it develops.
Source: www.ndtv.com March 25, 2024
