ISTANBUL

A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck off the coast of Papua New Guinea's Bougainville Island on Sunday, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).

The quake occurred at 2013 GMT, with its epicenter located 57 kilometers (35.4 miles) south of Panguna, a town on Bougainville Island, at a depth of 41 kilometers (25.4 miles).

No immediate reports of damage or casualties were available, and no tsunami warning has been issued immediately.


Papua New Guinea is situated on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of intense seismic activity that stretches through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.

The region frequently experiences earthquakes due to friction between tectonic plates.