7.4-magnitude quake hits Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea was rocked by a 7.4-magnitude earthquake Tuesday, which hit 80 miles south of the town of Kokopo at a depth of 40 miles, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

After the quake, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said tsunami waves up to 3 feet were possible within 186 miles of the epicenter, The Associated Press reports. The country's National Disaster Center said it had not heard any reports of damage from residents, and acting director Martin Mose said the center was sending a message to villages near the coast to "take extra precautions in case a tsunami is generated." Papua New Guinea is on the Ring of Fire, where earthquakes often strike, and this quake was centered in the same area as two weaker ones that took place last week.

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