The United States Geological Survey recorded a Magnitude 7.5 Earthquake at a depth of 10 km off the east coast of New Britain slightly before 11.45 am local time (slightly before 1.45 am GMT) on Tuesday 5 May 2015. There are no reports of any casualties associated with this event, but many people on the island are reporting minor damage, and a small, non-destructive tsunami was was also reported from coastal areas. A number of violent aftershocks have occurred since the initial event.
Residents of low lying areas on New Britain temporarily evacuated their homes in response to a tsunami warning. PNG Loop.
New Britain is located on the South Bismarck Plate, north of the Solomon Sea Plate, which is being subducted beneath it. The plates do not pass over one-another smoothly, but constantly stick together then break apart as the pressure builds up, causing Earthquakes in the process.
See also...
Mount Tavurvur, an active stratovolcano (cone-shaped volcano) on the eastern part of the Rabul Caldera on the Island of New Britain, part of Papua New Guinea, underwent a major eruption on Friday 29 August...
A Magnitude 6.5 at a depth of 63 km occurred beneath the interior of western New Britain Island, Papua New Guinea, at 6.30 am on Monday 8 July 2013, local...
Mount Langila is an active complex volcano comprised of four overlapping craters emerging from the northeast flank of the extinct Talawe Volcano on Cape Gloucester at the western tip of New Britain, Papua New Guinea. The volcano has produced numerous explosive...
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