Quake measuring 6.7 hits PNG

0 Comments | AFP, June, 2007

PORT MORESBY (AFP) — A strong earthquake packing a magnitude of 6.7 hit the Bougainville region of Papua New Guinea on Thursday, but there were no immediate reports of damage or a tsunami.

The undersea quake struck 219 kilometres (136 miles) southwest of the town of Arawa, in the politically troubled region of the South Pacific nation, the US Geological Survey said.

It hit at 12:52 pm local time (0252 GMT) at a depth of 10 kilometres.

Officials at Papua New Guinea's Rabaul Volcanological Observatory confirmed the quake had rocked the region, but said there were no reports of a tsunami or any casualties or damage.

"At this stage we have not received any information as to whether or not there has been a tsunami, but we think the liklihood of that is...