Earthquake shakes Papua New Guinea, triggers brief tsunami warning

A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck off the coast of New Britain, Papua New Guinea, Saturday morning local time prompting a brief tsunami warning. The US Geological Survey reported the earthquake's magnitude as 6.9 and the depth as 10km, while the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) reported the depth as 49km. This difference in reported depth is common due to different methodologies and data analysis techniques used by various seismological agencies.

While initial warnings predicted waves of one to three meters, officials later confirmed the tsunami threat had passed and lifted the warning. However, minor sea waves were expected to continue.

The earthquake's epicenter was located 194km east of Kimbe, a town on the island of New Britain. The US Tsunami Warning Center issued and subsequently lifted the tsunami warning for Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. The Solomon Islands faced a potential threat of smaller waves, less than a third of a meter.


The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center also cancelled its alert which warned of 1 to 3 meter waves along parts of Papua New Guinea’s coastline. A caution about smaller waves of 0.3m for the Solomon Islands was also lifted. There were no immediate reports of damage.

Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology confirmed no tsunami threat to Australia while now warning was issued for New Zealand. New Britain has a population of just over 5,00,000 people.

Papua New Guinea’s location on the “Ring of Fire,” the arc of seismic faults around the Pacific Ocean where much of the world’s earthquake and volcanic activity occurs, makes it prone to such events. The Ring of Fire is where the Pacific Plate meets many surrounding tectonic plates. The movement and collision of these plates cause frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.