One dies in PNG quake

Posted on Nov 22 2000

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (AP) — A major earthquake that struck northern Papua New Guinea last Thursday killed a 12-year-old boy who was crushed when his house collapsed, authorities said Monday.

The boy, whose name was not released, was trying to take refuge under the house on the remote Duke of York island, 500 miles northeast of the capital, Port Moresby, during the magnitude-8 temblor.

He was killed instantly, said Kaigabu Kamnanaya, acting director general of the National Disaster Management Office in Papua New Guinea, an island nation north of Australia.

Kamnanaya said that initial reports from the quake area suggested damage had not been too severe. Further reports from remote coastal region were expected to reach Port Moresby throughout the week.

A 6.8 magnitude quake struck Saturday morning about 460 miles northeast of Port Moresby.

On Thursday, two powerful quakes with magnitudes of 8 and 7.7 hit the same region.

Quakes of such magnitude can cause widespread destruction in more heavily populated areas.

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