SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck off Papua New Guinea on Thursday, officials said, but no Pacific-wide tsunami warning was issued.
The tremor hit at a depth of 46 kilometers (28 miles) near the sparsely-populated New Ireland region, 110 kilometers southeast of the town Kokopo, the United States Geological Survey said.
The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center ruled out a widespread tsunami and Geoscience Australia estimated any damage would only be within a 49-kilometer radius.
Earthquakes are common near Papua New Guinea, which lies on the 4,000-kilometer-long Pacific Australia plate.
It forms part of the “Ring of Fire,” a hotspot for seismic activity due to friction between tectonic plates.
© Agence France-Presse
