At least 15 people have been killed in Papua New Guinea, as Prime Minister James Marape appealed for calm after police walked out over pay, and protests descended into rioting and looting, according to Al Jazeera.

Eight people died in the capital Port Moresby while seven more were killed in Lae in the country’s north, the Australian Broadcasting Corp reported, citing an update from police.

Television footage showed thousands in the streets of Port Moresby on Wednesday with many carrying what appeared to be looted goods. Black smoke billowed over the city, and a crowd torched a police car outside the prime minister’s office.

The Chinese embassy said Chinese-owned businesses had been targeted and an unspecified number of its citizens had been hurt.

Marape told a news conference on Thursday that police reinforcements had been flown into Port Moresby, and the situation in the capital had calmed.

The Post Courier newspaper said soldiers had been deployed to help restore law and order and that military vehicles were on the streets in a “show of strength”.

“Police were not at work yesterday in the city, and people resorted to lawlessness, not all people, but in certain segments of our city,” Marape said.

Police went on strike on Wednesday morning after discovering a reduction in their pay packets.