Another strong quake shakes remote Papua New Guinea region

WELLINGTON, New Zealand – Another strong earthquake has shaken a remote Papua New Guinea region that was badly damaged by a powerful quake last week.

The U.S. Geological Survey said Tuesday's earthquake measured magnitude 6.7 and was centered 112 kilometers (70 miles) southwest of Porgera. It was fairly shallow at a depth of 22.9 kilometers (14.3 miles). Shallow earthquakes tend to cause more damage on the Earth's surface.

USGS said the quake was followed by two others measuring magnitude 5.0 and 5.1. Strong quakes also hit earlier in the day.

The region is remote and sparsely populated, making information about possible damage and injuries hard to confirm.

A magnitude 7.5 earthquake on Feb. 26 killed at least 15 people, injured dozens and brought work to a halt at four oil and gas fields. The quake triggered landslides that blocked rivers, which then flooded small villages.