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| Tsunami ‘threat’ after 7.9 magnitude quake hits off Papua New Guinea | Tsunami ‘threat’ after 7.9 magnitude quake hits off Papua New Guinea |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A powerful earthquake, initially measured at magnitude 8.0, has hit east of Papua New Guinea, according to the US Geological Survey. The tremor prompted New Zealand’s Civil Defense to issue a tsunami warning, which was soon canceled. | A powerful earthquake, initially measured at magnitude 8.0, has hit east of Papua New Guinea, according to the US Geological Survey. The tremor prompted New Zealand’s Civil Defense to issue a tsunami warning, which was soon canceled. |
| The quake initially struck about 157 kilometers east of the port of Rabaul, Papua New Guinea, on Saturday at a depth of 103 km and was measured at magnitude 8.0, according to the USGS. It was then re-scaled to magnitude 7.9. | |
| Rabaul is a township on the island of New Britain, which has a population of some 3,885 people. | Rabaul is a township on the island of New Britain, which has a population of some 3,885 people. |
| "Widespread hazardous tsunami waves are possible," the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) said in a message after the quake. | "Widespread hazardous tsunami waves are possible," the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) said in a message after the quake. |
| PTWC forecast the tsunami waves to reach one to three meters above the tide level along some coasts of the archipelago in the South West Pacific region. Several hours later, the warning was lifted. | PTWC forecast the tsunami waves to reach one to three meters above the tide level along some coasts of the archipelago in the South West Pacific region. Several hours later, the warning was lifted. |
| Amidst the warnings, many residents in the northern parts of the autonomous region of Bougainville fled to the hills, according to Reuters. | |
| "The town residents have vacated the whole place; those in the villages live higher up, so they're ok, it's just those near the coast," local resident Christabel Biasu told the agency by phone. | |
| A nurse at Buka General Hospital in Bougainville also said the quake was so powerful she was scared the building she was sleeping might collapse. | |
| Residents in other parts of Papua New Guinea said they had not felt the quake. | |
| New Zealand’s Civil Defense also issued an official tsunami warning. No evacuations were necessary, however, the agency did warn residents via its Twitter account to stay out of the water and off the beaches. | New Zealand’s Civil Defense also issued an official tsunami warning. No evacuations were necessary, however, the agency did warn residents via its Twitter account to stay out of the water and off the beaches. |
| "At this stage we are advising New Zealanders to stay off the beaches, stay out of the water, not to go sightseeing and to listen to the radio and TV," a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management said. | "At this stage we are advising New Zealanders to stay off the beaches, stay out of the water, not to go sightseeing and to listen to the radio and TV," a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management said. |
| "The warning's been issued from the whole of NZ," she added. | "The warning's been issued from the whole of NZ," she added. |
| Shortly after that announcement the threat was canceled. | Shortly after that announcement the threat was canceled. |
| Mainland New Zealand is some 4,500 kilometers or 2400 nautical miles away from Papua New Guinea. | Mainland New Zealand is some 4,500 kilometers or 2400 nautical miles away from Papua New Guinea. |
| According to @NewEarthquake, which monitors global earthquake and tsunami warnings, the initial quake has already been followed by at least three aftershocks, with magnitude 5.5-6.0. | According to @NewEarthquake, which monitors global earthquake and tsunami warnings, the initial quake has already been followed by at least three aftershocks, with magnitude 5.5-6.0. |
| Papua New Guinea lies on the so-called Pacific ‘Ring of Fire,’ a volcanically active region where earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions are common. | Papua New Guinea lies on the so-called Pacific ‘Ring of Fire,’ a volcanically active region where earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions are common. |