Strong earthquake strikes New Britain Region in Papua New Guinea

IANS April 5, 2025 269 views

A powerful 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck the New Britain region of Papua New Guinea early Saturday morning, raising immediate tsunami concerns. The tremor occurred in a seismically active zone along the Pacific Ring of Fire, prompting international geological agencies to issue urgent warnings. The epicenter was located 194 km southeast of Kimbe, with a depth of 10 kilometers, potentially impacting coastal communities. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation and advising residents to remain alert for potential aftershocks and tsunami risks.

"Hazardous tsunami waves are forecast for some coasts" - US Tsunami Warning Center
Port Moresby, April 5, 2025: A powerful earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale struck the New Britain region in Papua New Guinea early Saturday.

Key Points

1

Earthquake centered 194 km southeast of Kimbe with 10 km depth

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Located in seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire region

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US Geological Survey and NOAA monitoring situation

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Tsunami warnings issued for Pacific island nation

According to a post on X (formerly Twitter) by the National Center for Seismology, the earthquake occurred at 01:34:43 IST on April 5, 2025.

The earthquake was centered 194 km southeast of Kimbe, the capital of the province of West New Britain, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).

The epicenter of the earthquake was located at 6.23 degrees South latitude and 151.64 degrees East longitude, with a depth of 10 kilometres.

National Center for Seismology said in a post on X, "EQ of M: 6.9, On: 05/04/2025 01:34:43 IST, Lat: 6.23 S, Long: 151.64 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: New Britain Region P.N.G.."

The tremor was centred in the New Britain region of Papua New Guinea, an area known for seismic activity due to its location along the Pacific Ring of Fire.

The quake prompted the US Tsunami Warning Center to issue a tsunami warning for the Pacific island nation, saying, "Hazardous tsunami waves are forecast for some coasts."

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Service issued a tsunami threat.

A much smaller quake, with a preliminary magnitude of 5.3, occurred in nearly the same location about 30 minutes later, according to the USGS.

There were no immediate details regarding damage or casualties. Authorities are monitoring the situation closely, and residents in the affected areas are advised to stay alert for any aftershocks.

Further updates are expected as more information becomes available.

Reader Comments

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Sarah K.
Praying for everyone's safety in PNG 🙏 The Pacific Ring of Fire is so active these days. Hope the tsunami warnings help people get to higher ground in time.
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Mike T.
The article could use more context about how prepared PNG is for earthquakes. They get so many, but infrastructure isn't always up to standard. Still, good reporting on the basic facts.
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Lisa P.
That's terrifying! 6.9 is massive. I was in a 5.3 once and it felt like the world was ending. Can't imagine how scary this must be for locals. Stay safe everyone!
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James R.
Interesting how they got the alert out so quickly on social media. Technology really helps in these situations. Hope the aftershocks aren't too bad.
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Amina B.
My cousin lives in Kimbe - just heard from her. They felt it strongly but no major damage in the city. The rural areas might be worse off though. Scary times.
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Tom W.
The Ring of Fire doesn't play around. Nature is powerful. Hope relief organizations are ready to respond if needed.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Tags:
Earthquake Papua New Guinea New Britain Pacific Ring of Fire Tsunami Warning Natural Disaster Seismology
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