- Earthquake’s epicentre was around 55 miles south of Porgera in Enga province
- USGS said some casualties and damage were possible and recent earthquakes
- It said homes were ‘a mix of vulnerable and earthquake resistant construction’
Papua New Guinea has been struck by a 7.5-magnitude earthquake
The quake’s epicentre was around 55 miles south of Porgera in Enga province, according to United States Geological Survey, and hit at a depth of 21 miles.
USGS said some casualties and damage were possible and recent earthquakes in the area had caused tsunamis and landslides.
It said homes in the region were ‘a mix of vulnerable and earthquake resistant construction’.
The impact should be relatively localised, it added.
Geological Survey geophysicist Paul Caruso said the quake occurred in a rural, jungle area near a mountain range.
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.
The USA’s Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said in a statement: ‘Based on all available data, a destructive Pacific-wide tsunami is not expected.’
The Geological Survey website had 19 reports of feeling the quake, including some saying the shaking was violent.
Earlier today, a 5.5-magnitude earthquake struck 78 miles from Honshu, Japan, according to the Geological Survey.
The quake had a depth of 6.2 miles, the USGS said.