Strong quake strikes in remote part of Papua New Guinea

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — A strong earthquake shook inland Papua New Guinea on Friday, and officials said they had yet to confirm reports of damage to coastal villages.

The South Pacific island nation’s disaster management center said the epicenter was inland near Kokoda and very deep. Shaking was felt in the capital Port Moresby but not strongly.

Col. Carl Wrakonei, the center's director, said it could take a few hours for damage reports to reach Port Moresby.

“At this stage there are no reports of any casualties or damage,” Wrakonei said.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the 7.0 magnitude quake was 80 kilometers (53 miles) deep. Shallower quakes tend to cause more surface damage.

The epicenter was close to Morobe Patrol Post, with a population of 15,000 in Morobe province. Locals reported on social media the wharf at Morobe Patrol Post had “cracked in half."

Some damage was reported on social media in coastal villages. Residents were advised to go inland if there were any sign of tidal changes or irregular ocean patterns.

Mark Maniaol, a hotel employee in Lae, the capital of Morobe and the country's second-largest city, said he left the quake but it was not severe. He was not aware of any damage in the city.

The Morobe disaster office did not immediately respond to an emailed request for information.

Papua New Guinea is prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions because it lies along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” the string of faults around the Pacific Ocean where most of the world's seismic activity occurs.

GB

The center was checking for more information from people in the remote area struck by the quake.

No tsunami warning was issued, and the U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the threat had passed.

The U.S. Geological Survey says the 7.0 magnitude quake was 80 kilometers (53 miles) deep.