The USSGย reported the 7.7 magnitude quake struck at 11pm with an epicentre located betweenย the Duke of York Group of Islands and Namatanai, in the New Ireland Province at a depth of 10 kilometers.
A tsunami alert warning has since been issuedย forย costal villages.
The quake was also felt in parts of New Ireland, Manus and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville. The quake is the biggest sinceย 2015ย magnitude 7.5 quake thatย that caused landslips and damage to infrastructure.
No damages haveย yet been reportedย except forย power outages in most parts of East New Britain province.
The Rabaul Volcanological Observatory is yet to confirm ifย itย is volcano or tectonic plateย related.
Aftershocks are continuing.
- Picture by Annette Sete in Kokopo.ย
