Editing Papua New Guinea (section)

===Natural disasters===
The country is at risk of earthquakes, [[tsunami]]s, volcanic eruptions, floods, landslides, and droughts.<ref name="May2022chapter10"/>{{rp|169}} Papua New Guinea is famous for its frequent seismic activity, being on the [[Ring of Fire]]. On 17 July 1998, a [[1998 Papua New Guinea earthquake|magnitude 7.0 earthquake]] struck north of [[Aitape]]. It triggered a 50-foot-high tsunami, which killed over 2,180 people in one of the worst natural disasters in the country.

In September 2002, a [[2002 Papua New Guinea earthquake|magnitude 7.6 earthquake]] struck off the coast of [[Wewak]], [[Sandaun Province]], killing six people.<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 September 2002 |title=Earthquake leaves 3,000 homeless |url=https://www.smh.com.au/world/earthquake-leaves-3000-homeless-20020910-gdfmeb.html |website=smh.com.au |access-date=14 September 2022 |archive-date=21 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220921221603/https://www.smh.com.au/world/earthquake-leaves-3000-homeless-20020910-gdfmeb.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 25 February 2018, an [[2018 Papua New Guinea earthquake|earthquake of magnitude 7.5]] and depth of 35 kilometres struck the middle of Papua New Guinea.<ref>{{cite news|title=Major earthquake strikes Papua New Guinea|work=CBC News|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/papua-new-guinea-earthquake-1.4551314|access-date=26 February 2018|archive-date=26 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180226083250/http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/papua-new-guinea-earthquake-1.4551314|url-status=live}}</ref> The worst of the damage was centred around the Southern Highlands region.<ref>{{cite news|date=1 March 2018|title=State of Emergency declared as PNG earthquake toll rises to 31|work=SBS News|location=Sydney, NSW|url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/state-of-emergency-declared-as-png-earthquake-toll-rises-to-31|access-date=23 April 2018|archive-date=15 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415234301/https://www.sbs.com.au/news/state-of-emergency-declared-as-png-earthquake-toll-rises-to-31|url-status=live}}</ref>

From March to April 2018, [[2018 Papua New Guinea earthquake|a chain of earthquakes]] hit [[Hela Province]], causing widespread landslides and the deaths of 200 people. Various nations from [[Oceania]] and [[Southeast Asia]] immediately sent aid to the country.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/05/papua-new-guinea-earthquake-un-pulls-out-aid-workers-from-violence-hit-region|title=Papua New Guinea earthquake: UN pulls out aid workers from violence-hit region|first=Eleanor|last=Ainge Roy|date=5 April 2018|website=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=19 June 2018|archive-date=19 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180619113041/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/05/papua-new-guinea-earthquake-un-pulls-out-aid-workers-from-violence-hit-region|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/08/papua-new-guinea-earthquake-anger-grows-among-forgotten-victims|title=Papua New Guinea earthquake: anger grows among 'forgotten victims'|first=Eleanor|last=Ainge Roy|date=8 March 2018|website=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=19 June 2018|archive-date=19 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180619113045/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/08/papua-new-guinea-earthquake-anger-grows-among-forgotten-victims|url-status=live}}</ref>

Another severe [[2022 Papua New Guinea earthquake|earthquake]] occurred on 11 September 2022, killing seven people and causing damaging shaking in some of the country's largest cities, such as [[Lae]] and [[Madang]], it was also felt in the capital [[Port Moresby]].<ref name="CNA1">{{cite news |date=13 September 2022 |title=Volunteers lead desperate bid to reach Papua New Guinea quake victims |work=[[Agence France-Presse]] |publisher=[[CNA (TV network)|CNA]] |url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/papua-new-guinea-earthquake-volunteers-victims-2022-2934671 |url-status=dead |access-date=13 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220913050241/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/papua-new-guinea-earthquake-volunteers-victims-2022-2934671 |archive-date=13 September 2022 }}</ref>

On May 24, 2024, a [[2024 Enga landslide|landslide]] hit the village of Kaokalam in [[Enga Province]], about 600 kilometers (372 miles) northwest of the capital, [[Port Moresby]], at about 3 a.m. local time. The [[landslide]] buried more than 2000 people alive, caused major destruction to buildings, and food gardens and caused major impact on the economic lifeline of the country. The casualty figure surpasses the [[2006 Southern Leyte mudslide]] tragedy where a total of 1,126 people lost their lives as the debris flow from a landslide followed 10 days of heavy rain. With over 2,000 reported dead by the Papua New Guinea government, this disaster has now emerged as the deadliest landslide of the 21st century.{{citation needed|date=May 2024}}

Climate change is leading to rising sea levels. It is expected that populations will soon be forced to move from some areas of Bougainville, such as the [[Carteret Islands]].<ref name="May2022chapter10"/>{{rp|169}}