July 19, 2010 12:38 PM

Strong Earthquakes Strike Off Papua New Guinea

(AP)  Two strong earthquakes struck off the South Pacific island nation of Papua New Guinea late Sunday, a U.S. monitor said. There were no immediate reports of casualty or damage.

The first quake, a magnitude 6.9, struck around 11 p.m. local time 325 miles northeast of the capital, Port Morseby. It struck 35 miles beneath the ocean floor, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The second, a magnitude 6.8, struck a half-hour later in the same area, at a depth of 31 miles.

Indonesia issued a tsunami warning but lifted it soon after. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center did not issue an alert.

The archipelago nation is part of the Pacific Ocean's "ring of fire," where earthquakes of this magnitude are relatively common.

© 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Add a Comment
by warsux July 18, 2010 7:24 PM EDT
its obama's fault!
Reply to this comment
.
Scroll Left
Scroll Right More »
CBS News on Facebook