SYDNEY, Aug 5, 2010 (AFP) – A major 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck Papua New Guinea on Thursday, the US Geological Survey said, but no tsunami warning was issued.

The quake hit New Britain island at 8:01 am local time (2201 GMT Wednesday) at a depth of 54 kilometres, USGS said.

The epicentre was 145 kilometres (90 miles) east of Kandrian, on New Britain, and 570 kilometres (350 miles) east of Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, based in Hawaii, said there was no threat of a widespread destructive tsunami as a result of the quake.