Powerful earthquake shakes Papua New Guinea

JAKARTA, Indonesia – The U.S. Geological Survey says a powerful earthquake has shaken Papua New Guinea.

The agency says the quake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.9 and struck Thursday about 20 miles (32 kilometers) beneath the ocean floor.

It hit near the island province of New Britain, 295 miles (470 kilometers) northeast of the national capital Port Moresby.