SYDNEY clan 12 Kyodo Fears that ...

SYDNEY clan 12 Kyodo

Fears that aftershocks from a muscular earthquake that rocked Papua just discovered Guinea's East Sepik Province could cause a tidal wave have forced centurys of islanders to flee to the country's main island, Provincial Gov Arthur Somare said Thursday.

The earthquake of a magnitude of 76 upon the open-ended Richter scale hit the area about 80 kilometers northwest of the provincial capital Wewak early Monday morning.

Four villagers were killed when their houses collapsed forward them, Somare said, adding that a total of 169 mainly bush material houses had been destroyed

Aftershocks measuring between 41 and 49 have since shaken the province, which is located about 150 km from Aitape where an earthquake-related tsunami killed a certain 2,000 people in 1998.

''The continual tremors have caused real fear as 1998 is still to a high degree fresh in people's minds,'' he said.

About 500 the public had fled from islands not upon the coast of Wewak to the main island of strange Guinea, putting stress on limited shelter, and victuals and water supplies, Somare said.

''A tsunami normally hits about half an hour after a tremor, on the other hand they will not instigate back to the islands at this time,'' the governor said.

No united was admitted to Wewak's Boram Hospital following the earthquake and those with minor injuries were treated at local aid seats he said.

''We were fortunate there were not more casualties because the earthquake struck to such a degree early people were asleep and didn't panic and scud If they had done we would have had more injuries,'' Somare said.

The financially troubl political division of 5 million people is situated in succession the Pacific Ocean's ''Ring of Fire'' volcanic belt, making it inclining to natural disasters.

Wewak, a town of several thousand populace has been without water since Monday, institutes remain closed and Boram Hospital is interpret only for emergencies, he said.

The local rule was providing tarpaulin and tent-wines for immediate shelter, he said.

''There is no suggestion of creating care center further we are providing temporary measures before we lance out experts to persuade family to move home,'' Somare said.

A disaster action plan had been set in place and local authorities triped to restore water supplies to Wewak at Saturday, after many water tanks were pull downed by the earthquake, he said.

The Defense Force, Fire Department and the Department of Works have been working together to fe water from give in exchanges to Boram Hospital, local denominations and residential properties, Somare said.

''The major bear upon is contaminated water in the inlets and rivers because for a like reason many people are using water from them. There is a possibility of an outbreak of a water-related disease,'' he said.

The national direction was providing building tools to help villagers rebuild their hearthstones National Disaster Management Office's envoy director Martin Mose said.

''They have the capacity to rebuild their abiding-places Bush materials are available and plentiful,'' he said.

The earthquake had caused a large crack in the taxiway at Wewak Airport, about 15 meter in extent and 5 centimeters wide, said Chris McKee assistant director of the Geological contemplate in the country.

''But there is an alternative way in the same manner the airstrip is still viable,'' he said.

''There are a certain bigger cracks around Wewak, near half a meter wide. They are quite impressive, like cracks in a cartoon where the loam has opened up and swallows everything around,'' McKee said.

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