No Tsunami From 7.1-Magnitude Quake in Papua, Indonesia

By Dave Smith

A strong earthquake struck the province of Papua, Indonesia this evening.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the 7.1-magnitude tremor did not generate a tsunami.

The earthquake struck on land in the mountainous province at 1:42 p.m. Saturday, local time, or 6:42 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time. Its epicenter was located 169 miles west-southwest of Jayapura, Papua’s capital.

The Reuters news service said there was no immediate reports of damage.

The US Geological Survey said the tremor occurred at a depth of nearly 47 miles.

Papua is the easternmost province of Indonesia and comprises most of the western half of New Guinea. It was also the location of an 8.2-magnitude tremor in 1996 that killed 166 people.

According to the US Geological Survey, the New Guinea area has seen 22 earthquakes of magnitude 7.5 or greater since 1900.

Today’s quake was located about 1,500 miles northwest of the Solomon Islands which was rocked by an 8.0 earthquake in early February that was followed by more than 100 strong aftershocks.