BULOLO, Jul 29 (NNN-PIN) – Papua New Guinea was shaken near Lae, Morobe Province, by an earthquake of magnitude 5.6, at 4:28 am local time, the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) reported.
Shallow earthquakes are felt more strongly than deeper ones, as they are closer to the surface. The exact magnitude, epicentre, and depth of the quake might be revised within the next few hours as seismologists review data and refine their calculations, or as other agencies issue their report.
A second report was later issued by the United States Geological Survey, which listed it as a magnitude 5.8 earthquake. Other agencies reporting the same quake include the citizen-seismograph network of RaspberryShake, at magnitude 5.6, and the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) at magnitude 5.7.
Generally, quakes of this magnitude are recorded by more than one agency and the results can vary, with subsequent reports that come in after the first one often showing more accuracy.
Based on the preliminary seismic data, the quake should have been widely felt by almost everyone in the area of the epicentre. It might have caused light to moderate damage.
Moderate shaking probably occurred in Bulolo (pop. 16,000) located 24 km from the epicentre.
In Wau (pop. 14,600), located 26 km from the epicentre, and Lae (pop. 76,300), 49 km away, the quake should have been felt as light shaking.– NNN-PIN
