A 7.1 magnitude earthquake off Papua New Guinea on Friday 110 kilometres (72 miles) south-southwest of the town of Kokopo, the US Geological Survey said, less than a day after a 6.7 magnitude tremor in the region.

The quake hit at 0806 GMT, 689 kilometres northeast of the Pacific nation's capital Port Moresby, in the New Britain region at a depth of 53 kilometres.

There were no tsunami warnings, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.