7.9 magnitude earthquake strikes Papua New Guinea

According to the US Geological Survey, a
magnitude 7.9 earthquake has struck west of
Papua New Guinea.The quake was 153 kilometers
(95.5 miles) deep and centered 40 kilometers (24
miles) west of the town of Panguna.
Preliminary reports said the earthquake, which
occurred at 2:30 p.m. local time Sunday (11:30
p.m. Saturday ET) measured 8.0 but USGS later
downgraded its magnitude.
The USGS estimates that 72,000 people would
have experienced severe shaking as a result of
the quake. The predominant structure of homes in
the area meant they were vulnerable to
earthquakes and fatalities were possible.