WEWAK, Papua New Guinea, Aug. 1 (UPI) -- A 6.8-magnitude earthquake shook Papua New Guinea Monday, a monitoring agency said.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake occurred at 9:39 a.m. local time at a depth of 10 miles. The epicenter was 81 miles east of Wewak, 135 miles north-northwest of Mandang, 162 miles north-northeast of Mount Hgen, 265 miles northwest of Le n 438 miles north-northwest of Port Moresby.
The Melbourne Herald Sun reported there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
"No destructive widespread tsunami threat exists based on historical earthquake and tsunami data," the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said, though it added earthquakes of this size sometimes generate local tsunamis that can be destructive.
The Papua New Guinea Geophysical Observatory said people in Wewak, a city of about 18,000 people, likely felt a substantial jolt but early reports suggested no major damage or injuries.
"Preliminary reports we are receiving indicate that no real life-threatening damage and it is not an event where a tsunami is thought to be generated," spokesman Lawrence Anton said.
