The South Pacific island nation of Papua New Guinea was rocked by a powerful earthquake measuring a magnitude of 7.1 on Wednesday, officials said. It was the second big Pacific quake in as many days.
There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage,
according to The Associated Press.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake was located 40 miles west-southwest of Panguna in Papua New Guinea. It struck at 8:31 p.m. at a depth of 36 miles.
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The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said a destructive Pacific-wide tsunami was unlikely.
Earthquakes are common in Papua New Guinea. The country lies on the "Ring of Fire" – an arc of earthquake and volcanic activity that stretches around the Pacific Rim.
A magnitude-7.0 earthquake on the northern coast in 1998 generated a large tsunami that swamped several villages, killing about 2,200 people.
On Tuesday, a powerful earthquake measuring 7.2 struck islands popular with tourists in the Philippines, killing at least 67 people.
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Low-rise buildings collapsed on at least two islands and historic churches cracked and crumbled during the quake, which sparked panic, cut power and transport links and forced hospitals to evacuate patients.
At least 57 people died in collapsed structures and landslides on the island of Bohol, about 390 miles south of the capital.
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