6.5 magnitude earthquake hits Papua New Guinea

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Photo:  Collected

Photo: Collected

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said that a strong earthquake of magnitude 6.5 has struck Papua New Guinea, a country in the Pacific region.

About 180 houses were destroyed in the Karawari area, a heavy rain forest near the epicenter.

বিজ্ঞাপন

A strong earthquake hit the northern coast of the country on Tuesday (November 28). However, no tsunami warning was issued due to the earthquake.

News agency AFP reported this information.

বিজ্ঞাপন

A 6.5-magnitude earthquake hit the northern coast of Papua New Guinea on Tuesday, according to reports. However, no tsunami warning was issued.

The quake struck about 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the coast, AFP said. It is located a short distance from Wicak, the capital of the East Sepik province of this Pacific island nation.

The epicenter of the earthquake, which struck at 8:46 a.m. local time on Tuesday, was detected at a depth of approximately 12 kilometers (seven miles) below the surface, the USGS said.

On the other hand, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said, "There is no threat of a tsunami from the tremors."

Note that earthquakes are quite common in Papua New Guinea. This country is located in the 'Ring of Fire' of the Pacific Ocean. The region is also a hotspot for seismic activity due to friction between tectonic plates.

In April of this year, at least 7 people were killed in a 7-magnitude earthquake in a forested area of this Pacific country. And in September last year, 10 people lost their lives in the country due to an earthquake of magnitude 7.6.

Earlier in 2018, a magnitude 7.5 earthquake hit Papua New Guinea. At that time, hundreds of people lost their lives and thousands of houses were damaged in the country.