KEY POINTS:
PORT MORESBY - An earthquake measuring 6.0 in magnitude was recorded early today below Papua New Guinea's island of New Britain.
There were no immediate reports of damage from the affected region, authorities said.
The United States Geological Survey office reported the quake on its website as occurring at a depth of 43km at 3.41am (0541 NZT), around 177km south-south-west of Rabaul.
Geophysical Survey of PNG assistant director Chris McKee said from Port Moresby that the quake occurred somewhere under the coast near the district centre of Pomio in East New Britain.
"It's probably the earthquake capital of PNG. Magnitude 6.0 earthquakes are pretty common there, they probably wouldn't be too startled by it."
McKee said a quake of that size was unlikely to have caused a tsunami but might have caused some damage to properties.
The area was seismically active because of the movement between the Solomon Sea and South Bismarck plates, he said.
The office of the provincial district administrator in Rabaul said no reports of damage or problems had come in from the Pomio district this morning.
The district is about 700km north-west of where an 8.1 magnitude quake shook the Solomon Islands on April 2, triggering a tsunami that left 52 people dead and thousands homeless.
- AAP
