MALAYSIANS SAFE IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA, SAYS DEPUTY FM

KUALA LUMPUR, April 19 (Bernama) -- Malaysians in Papua New Guinea are safe
in the aftermath of a strong 6.4-magnitude earthquake which shook the eastern
region of the country Sunday, said Deputy Foreign Minister Senator A. Kohilan
Pillay.

He said according to a report from the Malaysian mission in Port Moresby,
the earthquake happened not far from Lae, Papua New Guinea's second largest
city.

"We have contacted Malaysians in Lae. So far, there have been no casualties.
It is reported that only a few houses and building shook," he told Bernama when
contacted.

Kohilan also added that the situation was being monitored.

A strong earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale rocked the eastern
region of Papua New Guinea, 316km north of Port Moresby and 3,463km southeast of
Kunak, Sabah, an East Malaysia state, at 7.15am Sunday.

However, according to the Malaysian Meteorological Department, it did not
pose any tsunami threat.

-- BERNAMA