Papua New Guinea and Bali shaken by severe earthquakes

WELLINGTON, New Zealand – Severe earthquakes hit Papua New Guinea and the Indonesian island of Bali on Thursday, but no major damage has been reported in the immediate aftermath. The earthquake in Papua has raised the possibility of a local tsunami, although authorities have stated that there is no significant tsunami threat in Hawaii or in the wider region of Papua. Peaceful.

The magnitude 7.0 earthquake in Papua New Guinea hit about 118 kilometers east of Kimbe, in western New Britain, in the Pacific island nation. It was followed by aftershocks of magnitude 5.7 and 5.9.

A little over an hour later, an earthquake measuring 6.3 magnitude struck further north-east of the island.

Oceanographer of the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, David Walsh, said that any tsunami from the earthquake would only affect areas immediately around the epicenter.

Scientists do not have tide gauges near the site of the earthquake and are not able to tell if tsunamis have been generated.

Walsh said the more remote areas would probably not be affected because the earthquake was not "terribly important" and many sites are protected by landmasses and islands.

Earlier Thursday, a magnitude 6.0 earthquake hit the popular island of Bali, where the International Monetary Fund and its sister lending organization, the World Bank, hold annual meetings until Sunday. .

Some tourists and residents went outside as a precaution, then went back to sleep when there was no tsunami warning.

Indonesia is still under the shock of an earthquake and tsunami on the island of Sulawesi killed more than 2,000 people. According to officials, more than 80,000 people live in temporary shelters or are displaced in some other way.