Tsunami warning issued for parts of Pacific, China, Russia and South America

A powerful earthquake rattled the South Pacific nation of Papua New Guinea on Monday, prompting officials to issue a tsunami warning for vast swathes of the Pacific and as far north as Russia.The magnitude-7.7 earthquake struck at a depth of 40 miles, about 30 miles southeast of the town of Kokopo in northeastern Papua New Guinea, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said hazardous tsunami waves could hit coasts located within 580 miles of Kokopo, with nine-foot waves possible for Papua New Guinea.

The situation seems to be under control at this stage.

Martin Mose, acting director for Papua New Guinea’s National Disaster Center

Farther afield, one-foot tsunami waves of less could hit other Pacific island nations, Russia, China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Hawaii, Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile and Antarctica later Monday, the tsunami warning center said. Officials in the capital, Port Moresby, were working to contact their counterparts in the outer provinces, but there had been no reports of damage or injuries within an hour of the quake striking.

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