A powerful earthquake of 7.5-magnitude has struck Southern Highlands province of Papua New Guinea at around 1545 GMT on Sunday (3:45 a.m. local time on early Monday) disrupting communications and oil and gas operations in the area.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reports epicenter of the quake was close to the centre of Papua New Guinea’s main island, around 350 miles from capital Port Moresby and about 22 miles deep.
Initially there have been no reports of damage or casualties and risk of tsunami following the quake has been ruled out by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii.
ExxonMobil Corp has shut down its Hides gas conditioning plant in the area and reports all the employees and contractors of the company are safe. The plant processes gas and transport it 435 miles away to a liquefied natural gas plant close to the capital.
ExxonMobil’s PNG spokeswoman said, “All of ExxonMobil PNG Limited’s employees and contractors at its Hides facilities have been accounted for and we are pleased to report they are all safe.”
She added production has been brought to halt at the facility fearing damages from aftershocks.
Papua New Guinea sits on a hotspot for seismic activity in the Pacific called “Ring of Fire” and so earthquakes are frequent here.
