POMIO DISTRICT, East New Britain Province — the U.S. Geological Survey reported a 5.4 magnitude quake hit near Kokopo on Saturday afternoon.

The USGS reported a tremor in the region at 06:23 UTC (16:23 local time). The epicenter was approximately 130 km south-southwest of Kokopo, at a depth of 52 km.

Did you feel it?

If you felt the earthquake, you can share your observations using 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.

Last week’s quake

A magnitude 4.8 earthquake was registered nearby, with the event occurring near Kimbe on Feb. 23.

Source: The U.S. Geological Survey