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Panic as mag 7.6 earthquake strikes PNG

Staff WritersReuters
A magnitude 7.6 earthquake has struck Papua New Guinea, panicking residents. (file photo) (Jim Baynes/AAP PHOTOS)
Camera IconA magnitude 7.6 earthquake has struck Papua New Guinea, panicking residents. (file photo) (Jim Baynes/AAP PHOTOS) Credit: AAP

An earthquake of magnitude 7.6 has struck the Eastern New Guinea region in Papua New Guinea, reportedly damaging property and spreading panic among residents.

The quake hit at 6.46am on Sunday. There were no reports of casualties, and no official confirmation of any damage to property.

The quake was at a depth of 80 kilometres the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre said.

The US tsunami warning system issued a tsunami warning after the quake but later said the threat had passed.

There was no immediate tsunami threat to Australia, the Bureau of Meteorology said.

Residents took to social media sharing images and videos of cracked roads, damaged buildings and cars, and items falling off supermarket shelves.

Earthquakes are common in PNG, which sits on the Pacific Ocean’s Ring of Fire, a hotspot for seismic activity due to friction between tectonic plates.

A magnitude 7.5 quake rocked PNG’s remote mountainous highlands in 2018, killing more 100 people and damaging thousands of homes.

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