Moderate earthquake strikes off Papua New Guinea

A powerful earthquake measuring 6.9 magnitude struck off the coast of New Britain island in Papua New Guinea on Monday, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said.There was no tsnuami warning issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre.

The USGS said the quake's epicentre was a shallow 35 km (21 miles) deep in the sea between New Britain island



and Papua New Guinea's north coast.

In July 1998, two undersea quakes measuring 7.0 magnitude created three tsunamis that killed at least 2,100 people near the town of Aitape on Papua New Guinea's north coast.

Papua New Guinea is on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” which has frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.