Damage minimal from quake in Papua New Guinea

CANBERRA, Australia – A strong earthquake rattled Papua New Guinea early Tuesday but damage appeared to be minimal.

The magnitude 7.2 quake hit around 7:20 a.m. about 33 kilometres (21 miles) southeast of Bulolo, in the country’s east. It struck at a depth of 127 kilometres (79 miles), U.S. Geological Survey said. There was no tsunami threat.

Christopher Lam said the rumble was audible in Lae, about 100 kilometres (60 miles) north of Bulolo. “It was big. You can hear it. Got stuff thrown around in the house and the power is now cut off,” he tweeted, alongside a video that showed his home rattling.

Mathew Moihoi, an official at Papua New Guinea’s Geophysical Observatory in the capital Port Moresby, said there had been no reports of major damage.

“We think that damage might be minimal at this stage,” Moihoi said.