A 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck in Papua New Guinea on Monday morning

A strong (6.4 magnitude) earthquake hit the Bougainville Island in Papua New Guinea at approximately 7:13 a.m. local time on Monday 2^nd of September. According to the U.S. Geological Survey the epicenter of the quake was at the southern coast of Tokuaka island, around 178km southeast of Buka while the depth was just 39km. The tremor was so strong that was felt across the region as it was reported.

According to officials more than 32,000 people were affected by the earthquake as they live within 30km of the epicenter. However, as of present, authorities stated that no major damage or injuries have been reported.

It is well known that Papua New Guinea is located within the Pacific Ring of Fire, and thus it is a prone to earthquakes area. However, due to the latter matter, they don’t face any major damage because they have designed quite flexible buildings. Therefore, when an earthquake strikes, they deform as bending structures, without severe damage.