Very strong quake hits Papua New Guinea
A powerful, magnitude-8 earthquake has hit Papua New Guinea, prompting warnings that tsunami waves may hit the small island country in the Pacific Ocean.
The quake hit Papua New Guinea’s Autonomous Region of Bougainville, previously known as the North Solomons Province, at a depth of 167 kilometers, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said on Sunday.
The US’s Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) warned that a “widespread tsunami” was possible and that it could generate tsunami waves on nearby islands, too.
“Hazardous tsunami waves are possible” for the next three hours as a result of the earthquake along the coasts of Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Nauru, Pohnpei, Kosrae, Vanuatu, Chuuk and Indonesia, the PTWC said.
It added that any possible waves were forecast to be between 0.3 meters and 1 meter above tide level for the Solomon Islands and PNG and less than 0.3 meters above normal tide levels elsewhere.
However, the Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre said there was no threat to nearby Australia.
There have been no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
The affected regions are located in the Pacific’s geologically active “Ring of Fire.” Australian immigration detention facilities for the offshore processing of asylum seekers are also located on Nauru in Papua New Giunea.
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