The quake hit the sparsely-populated island about 600 kilometersmiles) northeast of the capital Port Moresby Wednesday morning (about 1820 , senior seismologist Spiro Spiliopoulos said.

A local resident contacted by the Australian Associated Press said there had been no serious damage from the temblor.

"I had some cups and spoons on the shelf and they were shaking," said Kay Vagi, an accountant working at the Liamo Reef Resort in the town of Kimbe on New Britain's northern coast

Earthquakes are frequent in Papua New Guinea, a nation of five million that lies on a Pacific volcano belt known as the "Ring of Fire".

New Britain has several active volcanos, including Mount Pago which erupted last year.

The island's main center of Rabaul was devastated in 1994 when two volcanoes on either side of the town erupted, forcing the evacuation of 30,000 residents.

TERRA.WIRE