More than 30 people believed to be dead after 7.5 magnitude earthquake in PNG

Provincial authorities say more than 30 people are believed to have been killed and whole villages buried by landslides in Papua New Guinea's Southern Highlands after a 7.5‑magnitude earthquake struck earlier this week.

The Post Courier newspaper reported Hela Provincial Administrator William Bando saying at least 13 people were killed in the capital of neighbouring Southern Highlands province, Mendi.

Eighteen others were believed to have been killed elsewhere in Southern Highlands, however, telecommunication links in the area have been significantly disrupted by the quake, frustrating attempts to collect information about the impact.

Authorities also said more than 300 people were injured and many properties were destroyed during the quake, and that they had been in contact with the region by satellite phone as other lines were down.

A police spokesman said there were also reports of entire hillsides coming down and whole villages being buried by landslides.

The quake and its aftershocks have caused widespread movement of land in the provinces of Southern Highlands, Hela, Enga and Western Province.

There had been no communication at all from the capital of Hela, Tari, a township which has a population of over 8000 people and is about 30 kilometres from the quake's epicentre.

Source: Radio NZ