At least 18 people were killed by a magnitude 6.7 quake that struck Papua New Guinea’s mountainous Southern Highlands early Wednesday, an official said, adding to the death toll from a larger quake last week.
At least 18 killed as second earthquake strikes Papua New Guinea
STEPANAKERT, MARCH 7, ARTSAKHPRESS:The tremor, shortly after midnight local time, struck just 31 km (19 miles) southwest of the epicenter of a magnitude 7.5 quake that flattened villages and caused landslides last Monday, killing at least 55 people.
It was the most severe of a series of aftershocks that have rattled the resource-rich region, about 600 km (370 miles) northwest of the capital Port Moresby, complicating efforts to provide aid to nearly 150,000 people in need of emergency supplies.
“I have just received reports that 18 people were killed last night,” William Bando, Hela Province administrator told Reuters.
