روما بت
ماه بت
پین باهیس
بهترین سایت شرط بندی
بت کارت
یاس بت
یک بت
مگاپاری
اونجا بت
alvinbet.org
بت برو
بت فا
بت فوروارد
وان ایکس بت
1win giriş
بت وینر
بهترین سایت شرط بندی ایرانی
1xbet giriş
وان کیک بت
وین بت
ریتزو بت
1xbet-ir.com.co/
https://www.symbaloo.com/mix/paperiounblocked2?lang=EN https://www.symbaloo.com/mix/agariounblockedschool1?lang=EN https://yohoho-io.app/ https://2.yohoho-io.net/paper.io unblocked https://www.symbaloo.com/mix/yohoho-unblocked-76?lang=EN https://www.symbaloo.com/mix/agariounblockedpvp https://www.symbaloo.com/mix/yohoho?lang=EN
HomeNewsDeath toll from PNG earthquake tops 100

Death toll from PNG earthquake tops 100

Published on

The death toll from an earthquake that hit Papua New Guinea (PNG) last month has topped 100, with thousands injured, Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said Friday, warning it will take years for the region to recover.

The Pacific nation's mountainous interior was struck by a 7.5-magnitude tremor on February 26, triggering landslides that blocked roads, caused power outages, and cut off villages.

Communities have also been rattled by strong aftershocks, sparking fears among disenchanted and suspicious residents that the shaking was somehow caused by oil and gas operations in the area.

“Tragically, the Highlands earthquake has already claimed the lives of an estimated more than 100 Papua New Guineans, with many more still missing and thousands of people injured,” O'Neill said.

The premier has visited the devastated region and said his government and aid agencies were focused on delivering clean water, food, and shelter to victims, and restoring electricity and communications.

“There will be no quick fix, the damage from this disaster will take months and years to be repaired,” he said.

“The social damage to our communities is large, and this earthquake will be the source of sadness and sorrow for generations to come,” the prime minister added, describing the plight of one woman who lost six relatives, including children.

“This is a story of tragedy and loss that is repeated in village after village throughout the disaster area.”

The remote Southern Highlands region is home to the impoverished country's biggest-ever development — the US$19-billion PNG LNG project operated by US energy giant ExxonMobil.

Traumatized villagers are suspicious of the plant's operators and fearful they might have been using hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, and destabilized the rock structure underneath, the Post-Courier reported this week.

An undated handout photo received on March 5, 2018 from Oil Search Limited shows damage to Oil Search’s Hegigio Camp in Papua New Guinea. (Via AFP)

Hydraulic fracturing involves pumping large quantities of water and chemicals at high pressure deep into the Earth to fracture rock to stimulate the flow of natural gas or oil.

“I don't want the project to resume its operation until the company is cleared of suspicion of any responsibility,” Hela Province's governor Philip Undialu told the newspaper.

O'Neill said while there was no evidence that energy developments in the Southern Highlands and Hela Province had anything to do with the quake, he had asked the Australian government to conduct an independent review.

He told the Post-Courier that he went to the Hela capital of Tari on Wednesday and “they wanted an independent review and report on what is happening.”

Canberra had no immediate comment.

ExxonMobil said Monday it expected its project to be offline for up to eight weeks to repair the quake-hit facilities.

PNG's growth is heavily dependent on its natural resources, and O'Neill has said the shutdown of the plant would have a “huge impact on the economy.”

(Source: AFP)

Latest articles

Hamas update on ceasefire proposal

Home » Global » Hamas update on ceasefire proposal The following statement appeared July 5, 2025, on Resistance News Network. According to various press sources, including Al-Araby TV, Al-Sharq and Reuters, Hamas accepted the framework presented by the mediators for a ceasefire in Gaza, with certain modifications and clarifications. Hamas fighters Hamas’s response focused primarily…

Don’t miss People’s Summit for Korea in NYC July 25-27

Home » Global » Asia & the Pacific » Don’t miss People’s Summit for Korea in NYC July 25-27 Workers World Party is always in full solidarity with the Korean struggle for full sovereignty and national liberation. WWP has consistently opposed U.S. troops and U.S. bases in South Korea and decades of U.S. sanctions, constant…

Why every worker should demand: U.S., Israel, hands off Iran!

Home » Global » Asia & the Pacific » Why every worker should demand: U.S., Israel, hands off Iran! When the U.S. bombed three nuclear facilities in Iran on June 21, many workers were rightfully worried that it could be the beginning of World War III. Two weeks later, a ceasefire appears to be holding,…

PDF of July 10 issue

PDF of July 10 issue – Workers World Copyright © 2024 Workers.org

More like this

Hamas update on ceasefire proposal

Home » Global » Hamas update on ceasefire proposal The following statement appeared July 5, 2025, on Resistance News Network. According to various press sources, including Al-Araby TV, Al-Sharq and Reuters, Hamas accepted the framework presented by the mediators for a ceasefire in Gaza, with certain modifications and clarifications. Hamas fighters Hamas’s response focused primarily…

Don’t miss People’s Summit for Korea in NYC July 25-27

Home » Global » Asia & the Pacific » Don’t miss People’s Summit for Korea in NYC July 25-27 Workers World Party is always in full solidarity with the Korean struggle for full sovereignty and national liberation. WWP has consistently opposed U.S. troops and U.S. bases in South Korea and decades of U.S. sanctions, constant…

Why every worker should demand: U.S., Israel, hands off Iran!

Home » Global » Asia & the Pacific » Why every worker should demand: U.S., Israel, hands off Iran! When the U.S. bombed three nuclear facilities in Iran on June 21, many workers were rightfully worried that it could be the beginning of World War III. Two weeks later, a ceasefire appears to be holding,…