Papua New Guinea death toll at 67 as aftershocks persist

The death toll from last week’s earthquake in Papua New Guinea’s remote highlands has risen to at least 67 people, the Red Cross said, even as the region continues to face strong aftershocks. The country’s already damaged Southern Highlands on Monday endured three aftershocks stronger than a magnitude 5. The government declared a state of emergency last week after a 7.5 magnitude quake left many regions inaccessible. “Around 143,000 people are affected and 17,000 people have been generally displaced because their homes are either fully or partially damaged and not in a condition to live in,” Udaya Regmi, the country head of the International Federation of Red Cross, told Agence France-Presse. The government has yet to release an official death toll.