Sydney: A powerful earthquake measuring 6.5-magnitude on the Richter Scale struck off the northern coast of Papua New Guinea on Tuesday. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake hit about 20 kilometres off the coast, a short distance from the town of Wekak, capital of the Pacific island state’s East Sepik Province. The epicenter of the earthquake was at a depth of 12 kilometres. No tsunami warning was issued.
Earthquakes are common in Papua New Guinea. Papua New Guinea is located on the Pacific’s Ring of Fire. The Pacific’s Ring of Fire is one of the most seismic active areas in the world. More than 90% of earthquakes that occur in the globe strikes here. It experiences more than 100 earthquakes of magnitude 5 or greater each year. The country has 77 volcanos and 20 of which are active and have the potential to erupt.
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At least seven people were killed in April this year when a 7.0-magnitude quake hit the country. In September last year, 10 people were killed when a 7.6-magnitude earthquake destroyed hundreds of homes, split roads and caused power outages across north of the country.
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