Sepik River, East Sepik Photo: DOZIER MARC / HEMIS.FR
Monday's magnitude 7 earthquake in Papua New Guinea's East Sepik province reportedly killed seven people and injured many more.
Provincial police commander Superintendant Chris Tamari told The National authorities continue to collate information on the extent of the damage.
The quake hit the remote Chambri Lake in East Sepik Province at a depth of 80km, just after 4am on Monday local time.
National Disaster Centre director Colonel Carl Wrakonei said the earthquake was also felt in West Sepik, Enga, Eastern Highlands, Jiwaka and Southern
Highlands.
A statement from the Mineral Policy and Geohazards Management division said reports of disturbances in the area of the epicentre were not related to the possibility of a tsunami or a volcanic eruption.
"The disturbances would be due to the amount of rotting vegetation in the lakes," the statement said.
"The earthquake has disturbed these and resulted in normal decomposition of gas being released. The effects will soon stabilise."
Disaster relief workers are assessing damage in the region.
Mathew Moihoi, acting assistant director of the Port Moresby Geophysical Observatory, said some buildings and homes were destroyed near the epicentre at Chandri Lake.
Moihoi said the region is marked by swamps and people tend to live subsistence lives hunting and fishing.
He said because of the remoteness and patchy communication it could take several days to determine the extent of the damage.
Meanwhile, Australia's foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australia is ready to offer PNG help.
