A 6.9 magnitude quake in remote Papua New Guinea kills 3 and destroys nearly 1,000 homes

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (AP) — A magnitude 6.9 earthquake has hit a remote part of western Papua New Guinea killing at least three people and causing extensive damage to around 1,000 homes, officials said. The quake rocked the East Sepik region at about 6.20 a.m. local time on Sunday near the town of Ambunti, about 470 miles northwest of the capital of Port Moresby, and at a depth of 25 miles. East Sepik province Governor Allan Bird said initial estimates suggested the earthquake had destroyed about 1,000 homes in the area already “dealing with widespread flooding” from earlier in March.