The 2022 Papua New Guinea Earthquake

Posted by Karl Lundgren on Sep 11, 2024

Imagine it’s a quiet Sunday morning in the small town of Kainantu, Papua New Guinea. The air is calm, and people are going about their usual routines—some preparing breakfast, others heading out to work in the fields. Without warning, the ground beneath them starts to tremble. A rumble grows louder and stronger as homes shake, roads crack, and trees sway violently. Screams pierce the air as panic spreads, and within seconds, buildings collapse, leaving destruction in their wake. The earthquake, a massive 7.6 magnitude, strikes the heart of the highlands, changing life in this remote corner of the world forever.

This was the reality for thousands of Papua New Guineans on September 11, 2022, when one of the most powerful earthquakes in recent history rocked the island nation. In just a few minutes, communities were cut off, families were left homeless, and the country faced a daunting road to recovery. This article takes a closer look at the details of that catastrophic event, exploring what caused it, the immediate aftermath, and the ongoing efforts to rebuild.

In the early morning of September 11, 2022, Papua New Guinea (PNG) was rocked by a powerful earthquake, measuring a staggering 7.6 on the Richter scale. It was an event that would shake not only the ground beneath the island but also the lives of its people. Papua New Guinea, a nation that frequently experiences earthquakes due to its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire, is no stranger to such natural disasters. However, the 2022 earthquake was one of the most severe in recent years and left a lasting impact on both the country’s infrastructure and its citizens. In this article, we’ll dive into the details of the event, its causes, the damage, and the aftermath.

The Earthquake: What Happened?

At 9:46 AM local time, the earthquake struck, with its epicenter located in the eastern part of the country, roughly 67 kilometers from the town of Kainantu. Kainantu, a small town in the highlands of Papua New Guinea, is home to around 10,000 people. The quake's depth was measured at 90 kilometers, which is considered relatively deep for an earthquake of this magnitude.

Because of its location near the boundaries of tectonic plates, Papua New Guinea is highly susceptible to seismic activity. The island sits on the edge of the Pacific and Indo-Australian plates, which frequently jostle against each other, leading to frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity. On this fateful day in 2022, the Earth’s plates slipped once again, releasing a tremendous amount of energy.

Seismologists noted that while the quake was large, the depth of the earthquake helped reduce the potential for widespread surface destruction, as deep earthquakes tend to be less destructive than shallow ones. Nevertheless, the magnitude was enough to cause significant damage across the region, and its tremors were felt as far away as the capital, Port Moresby, hundreds of kilometers from the epicenter.

The Immediate Impact

Papua New Guinea’s highlands and coastal regions were particularly affected by the quake. The ground shook violently for what felt like an eternity to residents. Many homes, buildings, and roads were damaged, and in some cases, entire structures collapsed. The worst-hit areas were rural, where houses made of wood and traditional materials crumbled under the force of the tremor.

One of the most alarming consequences was the triggering of landslides in the steep highland terrain. Landslides buried roads, cutting off communities from essential services, such as hospitals and emergency response teams. These landslides also claimed several lives and made rescue operations more challenging.

In the coastal regions, residents feared the possibility of a tsunami, as large offshore earthquakes are known to trigger such events. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center initially issued a tsunami warning for the region, but it was later lifted after no significant wave activity was detected. Despite the all-clear, fear lingered in the minds of coastal residents, many of whom live in low-lying areas vulnerable to flooding.

Casualties and Humanitarian Response

In the immediate aftermath of the earthquake, reports of injuries and fatalities began to trickle in. Initial estimates placed the death toll at around 10 people, but as the days passed and communication lines were restored in remote areas, that number grew. In total, more than 20 people lost their lives, with many others injured from falling debris or landslides.

The humanitarian response was swift but challenged by the geography of Papua New Guinea. Many of the hardest-hit communities are located in remote and mountainous areas, making it difficult for rescue teams to reach them quickly. Roads were blocked by landslides, and airstrips in some areas were damaged, hindering air support. Helicopters were deployed to bring in supplies and evacuate the injured, but the scale of the damage meant that it would take weeks to fully assess and address the needs of the affected population.

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs), including the Red Cross, quickly mobilized to provide relief to those in need. They set up temporary shelters, provided food and water, and distributed medical supplies. Local volunteers also played a crucial role in the relief effort, using whatever tools they had to clear debris and help their neighbors. The government declared a state of emergency in the worst-affected regions and sought international aid to assist in the recovery efforts.

Economic and Infrastructure Damage

The economic impact of the earthquake was substantial, particularly in the highlands, where agriculture is a primary source of livelihood for many. Coffee, one of Papua New Guinea’s main exports, is grown in the highlands, and many coffee plantations were damaged by the quake and subsequent landslides. Farmers faced significant losses, with crops destroyed and transportation routes blocked, making it impossible to get their produce to market.

Mining operations, another key industry in the country, were also disrupted. The Kainantu gold mine, located near the epicenter, temporarily suspended operations to assess the damage and ensure the safety of its workers. The mine is a major contributor to the local economy, and its closure, even for a short period, had a ripple effect on the community.

Infrastructure damage was widespread, particularly in rural areas where roads and bridges were already in poor condition. The earthquake further strained the country’s already fragile infrastructure, with many roads impassable and power lines downed. Restoring these essential services would require significant investment and time, leaving many communities isolated in the immediate aftermath of the quake.

The Road to Recovery

In the weeks and months following the earthquake, the focus shifted from emergency response to recovery and rebuilding. The government, with the help of international donors and NGOs, began the arduous task of repairing damaged infrastructure and rebuilding homes. However, the scale of the disaster meant that recovery would be a long and slow process.

The earthquake also highlighted the vulnerability of Papua New Guinea’s infrastructure to natural disasters. Many buildings in rural areas are not built to withstand such powerful quakes, and the lack of emergency preparedness in remote communities left many people unprepared for the disaster. In the aftermath, there were calls for better building codes and more robust disaster preparedness plans, particularly in high-risk areas like the highlands.

International aid organizations and the United Nations played a key role in the recovery effort, providing not only financial assistance but also expertise in disaster management. The earthquake also spurred conversations about climate change and its potential impact on natural disasters in the Pacific region. While earthquakes are not caused by climate change, the increasing frequency of extreme weather events in the region could exacerbate the effects of such disasters in the future.

Conclusion

The 2022 Papua New Guinea earthquake was a stark reminder of the power of nature and the vulnerability of communities living in seismically active regions. While the earthquake caused significant damage and loss of life, the resilience of the Papua New Guinean people was evident in the way they came together to support one another in the aftermath. Recovery is ongoing, and lessons learned from this disaster will hopefully lead to a more prepared and resilient future for the country.

So what can we do to get better prepared?

HAVE AN EARTHQUAKE KIT

A kit is not a safety blanket you just purchase to make yourself feel better, it is an important investment in your household’s safety and preparedness. Not all emergency kits are created equal, and we highly recommend using the Province of BC and Government of Canada resources when building or buying a kit. We are also pleased to offer Earthquake Kits that developed to meet the government requirements for emergency preparedness. Visit our Gov BC Earthquake Kit product page to view the contents of our kits and feel free to use this as a guideline for assembling your own. What’s important to us is not that you buy a kit from us, but that every household have a kit at the ready in case something unexpected should occur.

EXPAND THE EARLY DETECTION & WARNING SYSTEM IN BC

The Province of BC and the Federal Government have made huge strides in this area in recent years implementing an Emergency Notifications network through mobile carriers and testing it to great success levels. This can provide seconds to even minutes of advanced notice prior to an earthquake being felt in any given location. However, a network of this complexity relies on strategically positioned censors along the coastline. We need to continue expanding this network of sensors and make sure that existing censors are being properly monitored and maintained.

We also need to expand from mobile phone notifications to physical alarms in homes, buildings, and especially schools/daycares.

For more details on how this Early Detection Grid works, please check out the following video by the CBC several years ago.