Papua New Guinea: Shallow 5.7-magnitude earthquake hits New Britain Dec. 20

Event

A shallow 5.7-magnitude earthquake struck western New Britain on the morning (local time) of Thursday, December 20. The quake occurred at 07:37 and was located approximately 36 km (22 mi) east-northeast of Kandrian (West New Britain province) at a depth of 8.7 km (5.4 mi). There are no reports of damage as of 08:00. Some infrastructural damage, including damaged roads, is possible, along with further aftershocks in the coming hours.

Context

Papua New Guinea, including New Britain, is in the active seismic belt called the "Pacific Ring of Fire" and frequently experiences earthquakes and subsequent tsunamis.

Advice

Individuals in New Britain are advised to monitor the situation, be prepared for aftershocks, and anticipate infrastructure damage near the epicenter.