ISLAMABAD: A powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Papua New Guinea’s New Britain Island early Saturday morning, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
The tremor followed closely on the heels of a devastating 7.7-magnitude quake that recently hit Myanmar, The Sun reported.
The quake’s epicentre was located offshore at a shallow depth of about 10 kilometres (six miles), raising initial concerns over a potential tsunami. New Britain, home to more than half a million people, sits within the seismically active Pacific “Ring of Fire,” where tectonic plates frequently shift, causing earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
According to AFP, a tsunami warning was issued but later downgraded by the US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. “Based on all available data, the tsunami threat from this earthquake has now passed,” the centre said, noting that “no tsunami was observed” at the closest monitoring location.
The quake occurred at 6:04 a.m. local time (2004 GMT), approximately 194 kilometres (120 miles) southeast of Kimbe, the nearest major town.
Marolyn Simbiken, a receptionist at the Liamo Reef Resort in Kimbe, told international media they had felt the tremor but reported no visible damage.
