7.2 earthquake

Magnitude 7.2 quake hits eastern Papua New Guinea, no injuries reported

The epicenter of the strong quake was 127 km (79 miles) below the surface, the USGS said, in a region some 66 km southwest of the town of Lae at the eastern edge of the mountainous country.

The fire department in Lae said no one had yet called in to report damage or injuries so far following the quake.

The USGS-linked Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was no threat of a tsunami after the quake.

     

Tsunami threat after magnitude-7.2 quake strikes off Vanuatu 'largely passed'

The centre earlier warned "hazardous tsunami waves" were possible for coasts within 300 kilometres of the earthquake's epicentre.

The quake struck 151 kilometres north-north-west of Santo on Vanuatu and was 35 kilometres deep, the US Geological Survey said.

The shallower a quake, the more damage it is likely to cause.