by Edwin Fidelis – EMTV Kokopo
A TSUNAMI warning has been issued for the East New Britain province in Papua New Guinea after a 7.5 magnitude Earthquake hit the province about 30 minutes ago.
The quake caused a landslide on the highway between Kokopo and Rabaul.
There have been no reports of casualties, but business houses have closed down in both Rabaul, while Kokopo remains calm.
The earthquake caused damage to store goods on shelves in shops, while the ceilings in some buildings cracked.
The aftershocks are continuing, causing frequent blackouts.
East New Britain Provincial Governor, Ereman Tobaining, has called on all businesses to close their doors to avoid opportunists from looting, and to avoid casualties from dislodged building foundations.
It is understood that the quake struck 13 kilometres south of Kokopo.
This earthquake is bigger than the last one that occurred in January this year (7.4 magnitude)
The Mt. Tavurvur monitoring centre, still has to release an official statement.
However, it is understood that the earthquake is tectonic, and not volcano related.
The Rabaul Volcanological Observatory had recently predicted a minor eruption could occur next month, and it is yet unclear if these quakes are the early signs of one.
Provincial authorities have advised all shops and schools to close for the rest of the day, as a precautionary measure.
