6.0-magnitude quake hits off Papua New Guinea

A 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck just off the coast of Papua New Guinea (PNG) on Friday, United States seismologists said, but there were no immediate reports of damage and no tsunami warning was issued.

The quake hit at a depth of 52 kilometers (32 miles) about 59.1 kilometers from the nearest town of Finschhafen in Morobe province, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said.

The quake hit within three kilometers of the shoreline, with the potential for damage up to 45 kilometers away, Geoscience Australia said.

“There is potential for some damage to the local towns,” Geoscience seismologist Eddie Leask told AFP.

“Magnitude 6.0 is reasonable in its shaking… so you do have high-energy shaking in the local areas that can cause some issues,” he added.

Earthquakes are common in PNG, which sits on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, a hotspot for seismic activity due to friction between tectonic plates.  /kga