Over 30 people are reported to have died following Monday's massive 7.5-magnitude earthquake that struck 96 km south-west of Mendi, in the Southern Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea.
The massive 7.5 magnitude quake that rocked the region also damaged mining and power infrastructure and led ExxonMobil Corp to shut its $19 billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant, the country’s biggest export earner, according to Reuters news agency.
Miners Barrick Gold Corp and Ok Tedi Mining also reported some damage to infrastructure.
Dozens of aftershocks rattled the area, including a 5.7 quake on Tuesday afternoon, the US Geological Survey reported.
Although full details are still unclear, local newspaper PNG Post Courier reported that 14 people were killed in the city of Mendi after two building collapsed followed by a landslide, while 18 more lost their lives in the nearby areas of Kutubu and Bosave, reports Xinhua news agency from Sydney.
