WELLINGTON,
New Zealand (AP) — A powerful earthquake rattled forest villages and a
large gold mine in central Papua New Guinea early Monday, but there were
no immediate reports of injuries.
Officials
were waiting for more information about damage from the magnitude-7.5
quake that hit about 89 kilometers (55 miles) southwest of Porgera in
the Pacific Island nation.
Chris
McKee, acting director of geohazards management for the Papua New
Guinea government, said tens of thousands of people live in the forested
highlands region affected by the quake.
"There seem to be quite a few reports of the quake being felt strongly," he said.
The
area also is home to a number of oil and gas operations and coffee
plantations, McKee said. Porgera is the site of a large gold mine that
employs more than 2,500 residents.
A
mine official wrote on Facebook of plans to find out what caused power
blackouts and other damage after the quake shook the whole area.
Source: Yahoo News
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