Tsunami ‘threat’ after powerful quake hits off Papua New Guinea

A powerful earthquake, initially measured at magnitude 8.0, has hit east of Papua New Guinea, according to the US Geological Survey. The tremor prompted New Zealand’s Civil Defense to issue a tsunami warning, which was soon canceled.

"Widespread hazardous tsunami waves are possible," the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) said in a message after the quake, which struck the New Ireland region of Papua New Guinea at a depth of 73 km.

"At this stage we are advising New Zealanders to stay off the beaches, stay out of the water, not to go sightseeing and to listen to the radio and TV," a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management also said.

"The warning`s been issued from the whole of NZ," she added.

Shortly after that the threat was canceled.

Mainland New Zealand is some 4,500 kilometers or 2400 nautical miles away from Papua New Guinea.

According to NewEarthquake, which monitors global earthquake and tsunami warnings, the initial quake has already been followed by at least three aftershocks, with magnitude 5.5-6.0.

Papua New Guinea lies on the so-called Pacific ‘Ring of Fire,’ a volcanically active region where earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions are common.

Source : RT