There is currently no tsunami warning in effect.
A magnitude 6.5 earthquake has struck Papua New Guinea (PNG) early on April 15 on the island of New Britain.
This earthquake follows a 6.9 magnitude quake that hit the region in March, resulting in five fatalities and the destruction of 1,000 homes.
An earthquake notice on the U.S. Department of Commerce website indicates that the earthquake had a depth of 50 miles and occurred at 6:56 a.m. local time on April 15.
Although there have been no major reports of damage or casualties at this time, it is still early, with the earthquake occurring less than a few hours ago at the time of writing.
Currently, there are no reports of any damage.
The U.S. Geological Survey reports that the earthquake epicenter was located 110 kilometers east-southeast of Kimbe in PNG.
Various authorities, including Australia, the U.S., and the Philippines, have confirmed that there is no tsunami threat.
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology has stated that there is no tsunami threat to Australia.
The U.S. Tsunami Warning System has also declared that there is no active tsunami warning, advisory, watch, or threat.
Furthermore, the Office of the Governor of Hawaii has issued a statement informing residents of Hawaii that there are no local tsunami threats.
“An earthquake has occurred with these preliminary parameters. New Britain region Papua New Guinea, magnitude 6.5.
“Based on all available data, a destructive Pacific Wide Tsunami is not expected, and there is no tsunami threat to Hawaii.”
Recent Earthquake in PNG in March
In late March, a 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck the remote East Sepik region of Papua New Guinea, resulting in multiple fatalities and home damage.
East Sepik Province Governor Allan Bird shared on Facebook that the earthquake had destroyed 1,000 homes in an area already affected by widespread flooding.
“The flooding actually covers an area more than 800 kilometers long, and so there’s about maybe 60 or 70 villages involved all along the Sepik River,” Mr. Bird said.
“The floods weren’t their biggest problem. They were confidently dealing with that because it’s something they’re used to.
“It was the earthquake that no one was prepared for. That would have caused the most significant damage now.”
The PNG region has experienced a series of earthquakes in recent years, including multiple quakes in 2023. A magnitude 7.0 earthquake in April claimed several lives in the northern part of the country.
Additionally, a 7.6 magnitude quake rocked the eastern part of PNG in September 2022, resulting in multiple fatalities and property damage. Moderate to severe shaking was felt for over a minute 480 kilometers south of Port Moresby.
