A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Papua New Guinea on Tuesday, rattling the island nation located along the Pacific Ring of Fire. The earthquake occurred at 9:17 a.m. UTC, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
The tremor's epicenter was approximately 30 miles from Kainantu, at a depth of about 64 miles. The USGS noted that the population in the affected area lives in structures that are a mix of vulnerable and earthquake-resistant construction. Recent seismic activity in the region has previously led to secondary hazards such as landslides and liquefaction.
Papua New Guinea lies on the Australia-Pacific plate boundary, a region known for its significant seismic activity. This boundary stretches about 2,500 miles from the Sunda Trench to the Solomon Islands.
Since 1900, Papua New Guinea has experienced 13 earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.5 or greater. In April 2007, a magnitude 8.1 earthquake in the region triggered a tsunami and resulted in at least 40 fatalities, according to USGS data.
The Pacific Ring of Fire, where approximately 90% of the world's earthquakes occur, is a roughly 25,000-mile horseshoe-shaped belt encircling the Pacific Ocean. This zone is also home to about 75% of the world's active volcanoes and includes around 452 volcanoes stretching from South America through North America, across Alaska and Russia, and then to Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and New Zealand.