6.4 quake hits Papua New Guinea—USGS

SYDNEY—A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck Papua New Guinea Thursday, the US Geological Survey reported, but no tsunami warning was immediately issued and there were no early reports of damage.

The quake hit the New Britain region at 7:13 am (2113 GMT Wednesday) at a depth of 48 kilometers (30 miles), 204 kilometers southwest of the main city in the area Rabaul and 598 kilometers from national capital Port Moresby.

Geoscience Australia, which put the depth at 103 kilometers, said the quake may have been felt in Port Moresby but “no major human impact is expected”.

Papua New Guinea is regularly rocked by quakes because of its proximity to the so-called “Pacific Ring of Fire”, a hotspot for seismic activity due to friction between tectonic plates.