Small tsunami after Papua New Guinea earthquake

A powerful earthquake rattled the South Pacific nation of Papua New Guinea, generating a small tsunami and frightening locals near the epicenter, but prompting no reports of damage or injuries.

(GoogleMaps)

A powerful earthquake rattled the South Pacific nation of Papua New Guinea, generating a small tsunami and frightening locals near the epicenter, but prompting no reports of damage or injuries.

A tsunami of half a meter was measured in the harbor of Rabaul, a town near the epicenter of the magnitude 7.7 earthquake, Martin Mose, acting director for Papua New Guinea’s National Disaster Center told AP. 

The United States Geological Survey said the quake hit at a depth of 65 kilometres, about 54 kilometres from the nearest city of Kokopo Panguna on New Britain island and 789 kilometres from the capital Port Moresby.

The quake caused strong shaking and knocked items off shelves in Kokopo, but had not prompted any immediate reports of damage, said Chris McKee, assistant director of the Geophysical Observatory in Port Moresby.

Officials in the capital were working to contact their counterparts in the outer provinces, but there had been no reports of damage or injuries, said Mr Mose. 

"The situation seems to be under control at this stage," he said.