On 26 February 2018, a 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck Papua New Guinea (PNG), triggering landslides, killing and burying people and houses, affecting water sources and destroying crops. The PNG Government declared a state of emergency on 1 March for Hela, Southern Highlands, Western and Enga provinces. Hela and Southern Highlands Provinces were the worst affected. At least 170 aftershocks were recorded, including one of 6.7 magnitude in the same area and one of 6.8 magnitude off the coast of New Ireland, both on 8 March.

Some 544 000 people were affected with 270 000 in need of immediate humanitarian assistance. Access to clean drinking water, food, shelter, medicine and health services were the immediate concerns. At least 18 000 people were displaced and living in informal camps or other evacuation facilities, often without adequate water and sanitation. Damaged airfields, bridges and roads, coupled with security threats related to inter-communal violence, complicated the response in some affected areas. A third of all health facilities in Hela and Southern Highlands Provinces closed in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake.