
Magnitude 5.5 earthquake rattles Papua New Guinea; no reports of casualties, damage
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) -- A 5.5 magnitude earthquake struck near Papua New Guinea on Wednesday, the U.S. Geological Survey said. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
The pre-dawn quake was centered about 50 miles north of the coastal town of Lae and 240 miles north of this South Pacific nation's capital, Port Moresby, it said in a statement.
The quake was too small to trigger a Pacific-wide tsunami warning.
Parts of Papua New Guinea, an archipelago nation, are frequently shaken by quakes.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)