A powerful magnitude 6.9 earthquake&nbsp;struck offshore near New Britain, an island in Papua New Guinea, on Saturday morning local time, prompting a brief tsunami warning&nbsp;that was later cancelled.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake was shallow, occurring at a depth of 10km.&nbsp;It was centred 194km (120 miles) east of Kimbe, a coastal town on New Britain Island.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center initially issued an alert warning of possible tsunami waves of 1&ndash;3m along parts of the Papua New Guinea coastline. A separate advisory for smaller waves of up to 0.3m in the Solomon Islands&nbsp;was also withdrawn.
Authorities reported no immediate damage or casualties, and no significant threat&nbsp;to neighbouring countries. Australia&rsquo;s Bureau of Meteorology&nbsp;confirmed there was no tsunami risk&nbsp;to the Australian mainland. New Zealand&nbsp;also issued no warnings.
New Britain, home to just over 500,000 residents, lies along the Pacific &ldquo;Ring of Fire&rdquo;, a highly active seismic belt encircling the Pacific Ocean known for frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
The destructiveness of an earthquake&nbsp;depends on several key factors: its magnitude, depth, proximity to populated areas, soil composition, and building standards. Shallow earthquakes&mdash;typically less than 70km deep&mdash;are generally more damaging, as the seismic waves have less distance to travel and thus retain more energy when they reach the surface. In contrast, deeper quakes&nbsp;tend to dissipate energy over a broader area and usually cause less surface damage.
While strong, Saturday&rsquo;s quake appears to have caused minimal disruption, with officials continuing to monitor the region for aftershocks.

The quake was centred 194km east of Kimbe on New Britain Island: USGS

Shallow offshore earthquake near New Britain prompts brief tsunami warning, later lifted

6.9-M Quake Strikes Papua New Guinea

Shallow offshore earthquake near New Britain prompts brief tsunami warning, later lifted

April 5, 2025 | 15:07 IST