POMIO DISTRICT, East New Britain Province — A 5.4 magnitude quake occurred close to Kimbe on Tuesday around midnight, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The tremor jolted at 14:41 UTC (00:41 local time), with its epicenter approximately 90 km east-southeast of Kimbe and a depth of 35 km.

Did you feel it?

If you experienced the earthquake, you can submit a report via the USGS Felt Report form.

Impact and estimated losses

The USGS categorized this as a Green Alert, which means there is a low likelihood of casualties and damage. Recent earthquakes in this area have caused secondary hazards such as landslides and liquefaction that might have contributed to losses.

Structure information summary
Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are a mix of vulnerable and earthquake resistant construction. The predominant vulnerable building types are informal (metal, timber, GI etc.) and unreinforced brick masonry construction.

Area struck by 6.2 quake in 1983
Pomio District has experience significant earthquakes in the past. On Dec. 21, 1983, a magnitude 6.2 tremor struck south-southwest of Kokopo, at a depth of 20.5 miles.

Source: The U.S. Geological Survey