NAMATANAI DISTRICT, New Ireland Province — A 5.6 magnitude quake occurred close to Kokopo at midnight on Saturday, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

A tremor hit the area at 14:08 UTC (00:08 local time). The earthquake’s epicenter was approximately 74 km east-southeast of Kokopo and occurred at a depth of 58 km.

Did you feel it?

If you felt the quake, you can report it through 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 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.

Past week’s tremor

One more quake with a magnitude 5.1 was recorded in the region. It was also detected near Kokopo on Sep. 25.

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