Strong Magnitude 6.3 Quake Hits Papua New Guinea

SYDNEY, Australia – A strong earthquake struck near the coast of Papua New Guinea early Wednesday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage, and Hawaii's Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was no risk of a Pacific-wide tsunami.

The magnitude 6.3 temblor struck at 3:38 a.m. local time and was centered about 170 miles southwest of Rabaul on Papua New Guinea's island of New Britain.

The archipelago nation is part of the Pacific Ocean's "ring of fire," where earthquakes of this magnitude are common and rarely cause serious damage.