6.8 Earthquake Rocks New Guinea, 6th Quake Over 6+ Magnitude Since Earth Day
PAPUA, NEW GUINEA (CBS SF) -- A magnitude 6.8 earthquake rocked the South Pacific Friday morning, following an initial quake Thursday of similar strength. The initial report pegged the magnitude at 7.1 before the U.S. Geological Survey decreased the magnitude.
Friday's major tremor marks the sixth earthquake of magnitude 6.0 or greater to hit in the past seven days. The series of earthquakes began after Earth Day, with a 6.6 quake on the West Coast, centered in British Columbia. The next strong quake to hit was the April 25th Nepal earthquake, that measured 7.8 and triggered widespread destruction and the deaths of over 6,000 people.
A small regionalized tsunami of about a foot was possible from Friday's New Guinea quake, but the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center reports the risk passed just a few hours later.
The quake hit at a depth of 33 miles.
No reports of deaths or damage have come in at this time from Friday's New Guinea quake.
COMPLETE QUAKE COVERAGE: CBS Earthquake Resource Center
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Strong earthquakes with an epicenter off the coast can trigger tsunamis, depending on the size and type of the fault movement. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center tracks earthquake data for the West Coast.
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