Tsunami warning after strong quake off Papua New Guinea: USGS

KOKOPO, Papua New Guinea: A strong 7.5 magnitude earthquake hit off the coast of Papua New Guinea on Tuesday, the US Geological Survey said, with hazardous tsunami waves possible, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre. The shallow quake occurred 44 kilometres (27 miles) northeast of Kokopo in PNG, the USGS said. "It was massive, absolutely massive. Very scary," Megan Martin, the managing director of the Ropopo Plantation resort in Kokopo, told AFP. "There does not appear to be any damage, but we are out checking." The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said: "Based on the preliminary earthquake parameters... hazardous tsunami waves are possible for coasts located within 1,000 kms (620 miles) of the earthquake epicentre."