A 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck near Papua New Guinea

6.9 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Near Papua New Guinea

A 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck near Papua New Guinea on Saturday morning local time. It was centered approximately 194 kilometers (120 miles) southeast of Kimbe, the capital of West New Britain province on the island of New Britain.

Depth and Tsunami Warning

The quake was shallow, with the U.S. Geological Survey reporting a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles). Other reports varied up to 49 kilometers due to differences in data analysis.

Authorities issued a tsunami warning after the quake, predicting hazardous waves between 1 to 3 meters along parts of Papua New Guinea’s coastline.

Smaller waves of less than 0.3 meters were also expected for the Solomon Islands. However, officials canceled the tsunami warning shortly after the threat passed.

6.9 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Near Papua New Guinea

Aftershocks and Immediate Impact

Several aftershocks followed, including a 5.3 magnitude earthquake. Despite the quake’s strength, officials reported no immediate damage or injuries.

Papua New Guinea’s Seismic Activity

Papua New Guinea lies on the “Ring of Fire,” an area known for frequent seismic activity because of its location on multiple tectonic plate boundaries.

Frequency of Strong Earthquakes

Authorities canceled the tsunami warning for Papua New Guinea after the 6.9 magnitude earthquake. The warning had been issued because tsunami waves between 1 to 3 meters were possible, but the threat passed, leading to its cancellation. There are currently no active tsunami warnings or advisories for the region.

Earthquakes of magnitude 6.9 are relatively rare in Papua New Guinea. The country experiences about 725 to 749 earthquakes per year, most with magnitudes of 4 or higher.

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Earthquakes with magnitudes of 6.0 or above occur less often, making up only about 1.11% of earthquakes in the past decade. There have been 83 earthquakes with a magnitude of 6.0 or higher within 300 km of Papua New Guinea in the last ten years — about 8 to 9 such quakes per year.

However, earthquakes of exactly 6.9 magnitude are even less common and happen too infrequently to establish a clear annual pattern.

Papua New Guinea’s location on the “Ring of Fire” causes frequent seismic activity, but earthquakes of this strength are less common than smaller ones.

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