User:Quake1234/sandbox5
 | This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. (August 2024) |
| UTC time | 2024-08-15 21:01:01 |
|---|---|
| Local date | 16 August 2024 |
| Local time | 07:01 PGT |
| Magnitude | 6.6 Ms 6.5 Mw |
| Depth | 8.6 km (5 mi) |
| Epicenter | 7°00′29″S 147°02′49″E / 7.008°S 147.047°E |
| Areas affected | Greater Lae area, Morobe Province, New Guinea Prefecture, Papua |
| Max. intensity | MMI IX (Violent) |
| Foreshocks | Mw 5.3 |
| Casualties | 120+ fatalities, 2,738+ injuries |
On 16 August 2024, at 07:01:01 PGT (21:01 UTC on 15 August), an earthquake of Ms 6.6 struck 5 km (3.1 mi) north of Salamaua, located in Morobe Province, Papua.[1][2] The thrust-faulting earthquake occurred with a hypocenter depth of 8.6 km (5.3 mi).[3]
Tectonic setting
[edit]The primary tectonic feature of the 1,200 km (750 mi) island chain is the New Hebrides Subduction Zone, the convergent boundary of the Indo-Australian and Pacific Plates. Along the Wadati–Benioff zone, earthquake activity has been observed as shallow, intermediate, and deep-focus events at depths of up to 700 km (430 mi). Volcanic activity is also present along this north-northwest trending and northeast-dipping oceanic trench.[4]
While much of the island arc experiences intermediate-depth earthquakes along a Wadati–Benioff zone that dips steeply at 70°, the area adjacent to the d'Entrecasteaux Ridge does not. There is a corresponding gap in seismicity that occurs below 50 km (31 mi) where it intrudes into the subduction zone from the west. According to the NUVEL-1 global relative plate motion model, convergence is occurring at roughly 8 cm (3.1 in) per year. The uncertainty, which also affects the Tonga arc, is due to the influence of spreading at the North Fiji Basin.[5]
Earthquake
[edit]The USGS reported a magnitude of Mww 6.5.[6] It occurred at a depth of 8.6 km (5.3 mi).[7] The PGA put the earthquake's magnitude at Ms 6.6.[8] It was the largest earthquake with an epicenter located in the Greater Lae area since 1999.[9]
Intensity
[edit]According to the PGA, shaking of MMI IX was recorded in 27% of Salamaua Municipality, MMI VIII in another 44%, and 29% exposed to MMI VII; one sensor recorded an intensity of MMI 9.1, the highest recorded intensity from the earthquake.[10] MMI VII was recorded in about 89% of areas in Lae, making it the most intense earthquake to hit the city since September 2022; a few smaller areas of the city recorded MMI VIII.[11] MMI VI was recorded in parts of Lae, as well as the city of Bulolo.[12] Overall, shaking exceeding MMI V was felt by about 24 million people, or 73% of the population of Morobe Province.[13]
Additionally, MMI IV was recorded in Finschhafen and Sialum, as well as Saidor and Nayudo in Madang Province, and Kainantu in Highlands Province.[14] Shaking of MMI II-III was felt in Port Moresby,[15] Goroka,[16] Madang,[17] Bogia, Karkar,[18] Kimbe, Mount Hagen,[19] Kundiawa,[20] Wagumin,[21] Mendi, Wabag,[22] Kerema[23] and Popondetta.[24][25] There were also reports of shaking in Wewak, Tari, Daru, and Alotau, according to the USGS and PGA.[26][27]
| Intensity | Province | Location | Pop. exposure |
|---|---|---|---|
| IX | Morobe | Salamaua | 65k |
| VIII | Morobe | 104k | |
| VII | Morobe | Lae, Wau, Buang, Nadzab, Oomsis | 13,993k |
| VI | Morobe | Bulolo, Labuta, Wampar, Nabak, Wainerap, Mumeng | 7,278k |
| V | Morobe | Kaiapit, Mutzing, Watarais, Morobe, Waria, Menyamya, Watut, Yabimape, Burumkwat, Selepat | 3,528k |
| Madang | Gusap |
Impact
[edit]Salamaua
[edit]In Salamaua, 107 people were killed and 1,718 others were injured, 318 of them seriously; most of the deaths were due to collapsing houses, and four more were caused by landslides.[28] At least 2,622 houses collapsed and 10,224 more were damaged in the municipality.[29] At least 319 schools, 424 temples, 33 governmental buildings and seven shops were also damaged.[30] The municipal hospital was among the structures that collapsed.[31] Villages across the municipality were worst-affected, with some losing over 90% of houses to the shaking.[32] An official said that damage was exacerbated by a Mw 5.3 foreshock on 15 August, which damaged 188 houses in the area, many of which were still occupied by the time the mainshock hit.[33][34]
The Logui Power Plant was severely damaged by the earthquake, disrupting communication services across Morobe Province.[35] Some outages lasted over a day, with Salamaua Municipality being left without electricity until 17 August.[36] A gas leak in Salamaua City resulting in a major fire, burning down 1,108 houses and killing 57 people.[37]
Lae
[edit]At least 13 people were killed and 1,020 others were injured in Lae, 34 of them seriously; 200 of the injured were hospitalized due to panic or stress,[38] and three children were among the dead.[39] Across the city, 1,078 houses collapsed and 846 more were damaged.[40] In addition, 122 public buildings, 61 temples, 22 schools were also damaged or destroyed.[41][42] Over 744,000 of the city's residents were affected by the earthquake, with 186,000 households affected by power outages.[43] The total cost of damage and outages in Lae amounted to $496.1 million.[44]
Response
[edit]On August 16, president Jayden Parfitt declared the Greater Lae area a disaster zone, and most businesses there were closed from 17-19 August to commemorate victims of the earthquake.[45]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ MAGNITUDE 6.6 - SALAMAUA, MOROBE
- ^ M 6.5 - 5 km N of Salamaua, Papua
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