A 7.4 magnitude earthquake has hit near the Solomon Islands, to the south of Arawa on Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea. The quake was registered at 5.07pm, eastern standard time.
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"It's shallow in its depth," Geoscience Australia seismologist Dr David Jepsen said. "This is located just west - several 10s of kilometres west - of Bougainville Island. The whole of Bougainville Island would have had a strong shake."
Dr Jepsen said the quake could have triggered, which would have already hit the island, and that an earthquake of this magnitude would strike the region at least once a decade.
"Earthquakes in this region are commonplace," he said.
The quake, however, was not a signal of increased seismic activity in the area.
