Strong 6.3-magnitude earthquake hits Papua New Guinea

A strong 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck the Pacific nation of Papua New Guinea today, seismologists said, but there was no immediate tsunami warning or reports of damage.

A strong 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck the Pacific nation of Papua New Guinea on Sunday, seismologists said, but there was no immediate tsunami warning or reports of damage.

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The quake hit around three kilometres (two miles) off the west coast of the the island of New Britain, at 1:09 am (1509 GMT today) at a depth of 192 kilometres (119 miles), the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.

Papua New Guinea, which is mired in poverty despite rich mineral deposits, sits on the so-called "Pacific Ring of Fire", a hotspot for seismic activity due to friction between tectonic plates.