Papua New Guinea earthquake: 7.2 magnitude quake hits country
Quake strikes eastern edge of mountainous country
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A 7.2 magnitude earthquake has struck in Papua New Guinea, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) has said.
The quake struck 33km north west of the town of Bulolo in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
The focus of the strong quake was 127 km (79 miles) below the surface, the USGS said, in a region at the eastern edge of the mountainous country.
There were no immediate reports of damage.
There are currently no tsunami warnings in the region, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.
The fire department in the eastern town of Lae said no one had yet called in to report damage or injuries so far following the quake.
It comes after Papua New Guinea was struck by a 7.5 magnitude quake which claimed the lives of more than 150 people last year.
Earthquakes are common in the country, which sits on the Pacific’s “Ring of Fire”, a hotspot for seismic activity due to friction between tectonic plates
Its mountainous terrain means it often takes aid agencies and government officials days before they can gather information on damage and casualties.
Additional reporting by agencies
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments