SYDNEY, May 7: A powerful earthquake rattled the South Pacific nation of Papua New Guinea on Thursday, prompting a tsunami warning for nearby coasts.
The 7.2-magnitude quake struck about 150 kilometers (94 miles) southwest of the town of Panguna on Bougainville Island at a depth of 22 kilometers (14 miles), the U.S. Geological Survey reported.
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The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said hazardous tsunami waves were possible within 300 kilometers (186 miles) of the epicenter on the coasts of the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea.
This is the fourth strong quake to rock the island nation in a week. The archipelago sits on the Ring of Fire, the arc of seismic faults around the Pacific Ocean where earthquakes are common.
