Two big earthquakes struck Papua New Guinea on Sunday but there were no immediate reports of damage, and neighbouring Indonesia lifted a tsunami warning. Indonesia's quake agency had issued the tsunami warning after it said a second quake, of magnitude 7.1, hit 537 km (334 miles) north-east of Papua New Guinea's capital Port Moresby at a depth of 26 km (16 miles).
This followed a deeper earthquake, measured by the US Geological Service at magnitude 7.2, 117 km (73 miles) east of Kandrian on New Britain island in Papua New Guinea. PNG Emergency Services said the quakes were felt in the port town of Kimbe on New Britain island but no damage had been reported and no local tsunami warning had been issued.
"They felt the quake in Kimbe town, but they said no houses had fallen down. They said all the lights had gone out," said emergency official John Miria in the PNG capital Port Moresby. "It is difficult to contact people there. We will know more in the morning," he said. Officials at the Indonesian quake agency said the earthquakes were not felt in cities such as Jayapura and Merauke in Indonesia's eastern Papua province, next to Papua New Guinea. Papua New Guinea is a producer of oil, copper and gold.