Date: Thu, 17 Aug 95 12:30:44 EDT
From: Emergency Information Administrator
Subject: Papua New Guinea: Earthquake DHA-01
PAPUA NEW GUINEA - EARTHQUAKE
INFORMATION REPORT NO. 1
17 AUGUST 1995
1. ON 16 AUGUST AT 10:27 GMT OR 8:27 PM LOCAL TIME AN EARTHQUAKE WITH
A MAGNITUDE OF 7.8 ON THE OPEN-ENDED RICHTER SCALE OCCURRED IN THE PACIFIC
OCEAN OFF THE COASTS OF BOUGAINVILLE,NEW BRITAIN AND NEW IRELAND.
2. THE EPICENTRE WAS DETERMINATED IN THE SOLOMON SEA ABOUT 270
KM SOUTHEAST OF THE PORT TOWN OF RABAUL (800 KM NORTHEAST OF PORT
MORESBY) ON THE ISLAND OF NEW BRITAIN AND 50 KM OF THE EAST COAST
OF BOUGANVILLE. THE PRELIMARY HYPOCENTRE WAS AT A LATITUDE OF 5.7
DEGREES SOUTH, LONGITUDE 154.1 DEGREES EAST AND A NORMAL DEPTH.
3. ONLY MINOR DAMAGE WAS REPORTED.FIVE LANDSLIDES CAUSED THE
CUT OFF THE RABAUL/KOKOPO ROAD AND ONE LANDSLIDE OCCURRED AT THE
BLUE LAGOON ON THE ISLAND OF NEW BRITAIN. PEOPLE IN THE CARE
CENTRES NEAR THE KOKOPO ROAD WERE MOVED INLAND AS A PRECAUTIONARY
MEASURE. THE TOWN OF RABAUL WAS DEVASTATED LAST SEPTEMBER WHEN TWO
VOLCANOS ERUPTED PROMPTING THE EVACUATION OF 30.000 PEOPLE.
4. THIS IS THE SECOND EARTHQUAKE IN TWO DAYS AND AFTERSHOCKS
ARE EXPECTED. PREVIOUSLY ON 14 AUGUST AN EARTHQUAKE WITH A
MAGNITUDE OF 6.2 ON THE OPEN-ENDED RICHTER SCALE WAS ONLY WEAKLY
FELT. THE EPICENTRE WAS 100 KM SOUTHEAST OF RABAUL IN THE SOLOMON
SEA.
5. A TSUNAMI WATCH AND WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE WESTERN
PACIFIC OCEAN AND A TSUNAMI WATCH ISSUED FOR THE WESTERN PACIFIC
OCEAN SINCE ANY QUAKE AT SEA MEASURING 7 OR ABOVE ON THE OPEN-ENDED
RICHTER SCALE CAN SET OFF TIDAL WAVES SEVERAL METERS HIGH AND CAUSE
EXTENSIVE FLOODING IN COSTAL AREAS.
6. DHA/UNDP RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE IN PORT MORESBY HAS BEEN IN
CONTACT WITH THE OFFICE OF THE NATIONAL DISASTER AND EMERGENCY
SERVICES.
7. NO REQUEST FOR INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE RECEIVED BY
DHA-GENEVA.
TELEPHONE NO: +4122-917.12.34
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY ONLY TEL. NO.: +41-22-917.20.10
DESK OFFICER: G. MORTIER, DIRECT TEL. +41-22-917.13.94
PRESS TO CONTACT: MRS. MOULIN-ACEVEDO, DIRECT TEL:+41-22-917.2856
TELEX: 414242 DHA CH
FAX: +41-22-917.00.23
INTERNET EMAIL: DHAGVA AT UN.ORG
FILE DPR PNG
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