A powerful 6.6 magnitude earthquake shook Papua New Guinea’s second-largest city, Lae, on Tuesday night, sending waves of panic through communities and reigniting deeper fears that run through the Pacific island nation’s social and cultural fabric.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the quake’s epicentre lay about 26 kilometres west-south-west of Lae, at a depth of nearly 100 kilometres. Despite the magnitude, no tsunami warning was issued. A relief to a nation that has endured devastating natural disasters in the past.
When the quake struck around 9 p.m. local time, the city’s stadium was filled with hundreds of people attending a ceremony in honour of the late Morobe Governor, Luther Wenge. Government official Malum Nalu recalled the terrifying moment:
“There was a big rumbling noise like a plane flying overhead, then the building was shaking violently for around three minutes,” he told Reuters. “People were rushing to get out of the exits and the deputy prime minister was calling for people to keep calm.”
No casualties or major damage were immediately reported, but local police described the tremor as “very huge,” while emergency teams were still assessing remote areas.
The quake was a painful reminder of the fragility of life in one of the world’s most seismically active regions to many families. Parents clutched their children and fled homes built from light materials, while others prayed aloud as walls trembled and household items fell. In the aftermath, families gathered outdoors sharing stories, checking phones for updates and comforting one another under the darkening sky. Lae residents were all shaking, not just from fear.
Papua New Guinea’s deep spiritual traditions often blend natural phenomena with cultural beliefs. Some locals interpreted the quake as a sign from ancestors or the spirit world, especially poignant given the timing during a ceremony for a respected political figure. These events are never just physical, a lot of people who believe in the supernatural. These people see them as messages that calls for unity, or reminders of respect for nature and the land.
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