Expert: Quakes normal in PNG

Source: 

The National, Friday 23rd March 2012

By KESSIE TADAP
THE earthquake that occurred yesterday is “not unusual”,  Port Moresby Geophysical Observatory assistant director Chris Kee says.
He said the country experienced several earthquakes a year that measured six on the Richter scale.
Kee said yesterday’s earthquake on the mainland was recorded as magnitude 6.6 on the Richter scale.
He said the earthquake occurred at 8.55am under Kainantu in the Eastern Highlands and at a depth of 105km.
He said it occurred in an area of high seismological activity.
He said, with Papua New Guinea situated along the Pacific Ring of Fire, it was not unusual to experience earthquakes of such a magnitude.
He said the earthquake had nothing to do with a widely circulated email that warned of a major earthquake yesterday.
That email had warned people of an earthquake occurring at 2.55pm.
Kee said earthquakes could not be predicted.