1998 Papua New Guinea earthquake

earthquake
title= 1998 Papua New Guinea earthquake
date= July 17, 1998

magnitude = 7.1 M_w
countries affected = Papua New Guinea
casualties = at least 2,183Cite web | url=http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/eq_depot/1998/eq_980717/ | title=Magnitude 7.0 Near North Coast of New Guinea, P.N.G. 1998 July 17 08:49:13 UTC | publisher=U.S. Geological Survey |accessdate=2007-04-18]
the wave destroyed a load of villeges

The 1998 Papua New Guinea earthquake was a magnitude 7.0 event that took place in the early evening on Friday, 17 July 1998. The earthquake struck the north coast region of Papua New Guinea, 25 km (16 mi) from the coast near Aitape, and resulted in a large undersea landslide, which in turn resulted in a tsunami that swept the coast.

Effects

The tsunami resulted in at least 2,183 people being killed, thousands being injured, about 9,500 homeless and about 500 missing. The maximum height of the waves were estimated at being 15 m (49 ft) high with an average height of 10.5 m (34 ft).Cite web |title=The Aitape PNG Earthquake/Tsunami |url=http://www.ga.gov.au/urban/factsheets/tsunami_png.jsp |work=Geoscience Australia |publisher=Australian Government]

The area worst hit was a 30 km (19 mi) coastal strip running north-west from Aitape to the village of Sissano. Several villages in the path of the tsunami were completely destroyed and others extensively damaged. The village of Arop was situated on a narrow spit between the coast and Sissano lagoon. It was directly in the path of the tsunami and was worst hit.

eismology

The earthquake occurred at 6:49pm local time (UTC+10) along the boundary of the Australia and the Pacific tetonic plates at coord|2.96|S|141.92|E. The result from the event was originally thought to have created a two-metre vertical drop in the Pacific Plate along a 40 km (25 mi) long crack. [Cite news |title=Plate shift left no warning time |author=AAP |publisher=The Age |date=1998-07-23 |page=9] This was later revised to the tsunami actually being attributed to a massive underwater landslide.Cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/TECH/science/9808/25/tsunamis.yoto/index.html |title=Tsunamis threaten world's coastlines |publisher=CNN News |date=1998-08-25 |accessdate=2007-04-18]

The cause of the tsunami from the landslide has changed perceptions from scientist about how large an earthquake is needed to generate a tsunami and locations around the world that could be now at risk.

Aid response

Immediately after the tsunami the Royal Australian air Force flew in three C-130 Hercules transport planes with relief supplies.Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/135681.stm |title=Tidal wave kills 'thousands' |publisher=BBC News |date=1998-07-20] In the days following more relief was flown in and a field hospital was set up in the neighbouring town of Vanimo.

References

Further references

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