  Port Moresby  | |
| UTC time | 1970-10-31 17:53:14 |
|---|---|
| ISC event | 791579 |
| USGS-ANSS | ComCat |
| Local date | November 1, 1970 |
| Local time | 03:53:14 AEST |
| Magnitude | 6.9 Mw [1] |
| Depth | 60 km (37 mi) [1] |
| Epicenter | 5°00′S 145°24′E / 5°S 145.4°E [1] |
| Type | Strike-slip |
| Areas affected | Papua New Guinea |
| Total damage | US$1.75 million [2] |
| Max. intensity | MMI VIII (Severe) [2] |
| Tsunami | 3 m (10 ft) [2] |
| Casualties | 5–18 deaths [2] 20 injured [2] |
On October 31 at 17:53 UTC (November 1 at 03:53 AEST) the island of New Guinea was shaken by an earthquake of magnitude 6.9 Mw that particularly affected the city of Madang on the north coast of Papua New Guinea. Causing between five and eighteen fatalities, it triggered landslides that ran down steep hills into poorly reinforced wooden huts. The area that experienced the most powerful intensity extended 20 kilometers (12 mi) out from the epicenter. Underwater landslides caused minor tsunami over about 100 km of coast and severed underwater cables in several places.[3]