Strong 6.8 quake hits off Papua New Guinea

A powerful 6.8-magnitude earthquake hit off the Papua New Guinea coast on Saturday, officials said, but there was no tsunami warning or immediate reports of damage.

"A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck around 180 kilometers (112 miles) southwest of Rabaul in Papua New Guinea," the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said.

The quake struck at 9:23 pm local time at a depth of 67 km, about 175 km from the New Britain town of Rabaul, the survey said.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the quake did not pose a tsunami risk. The Pacific nation was hit by a 7.5-magnitude quake on February 26 that buried homes and triggered landslides in its highlands region, killing at least 125 people.

PNG sits on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, a hotspot for seismic activity due to friction between tectonic plates.

Its mountainous and remote terrain means it often takes several days for information about damage from quakes to reach officials and aid agencies.

OneIndia News