A magnitude 6.9 earthquake has struck off the Papua New Guinea coast, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). 

The quake was at a depth of 49 kilometres, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC). 

The US Tsunami Warning Center has issued a tsunami warning, saying waves reaching 1 to 3 metres above the tide level are possible along some coasts of Papua New Guinea. 

It says tsunami waves are forecast to be less than 0.3 metres above the tide level for the coasts of the Solomon Islands. 

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology said there was no tsunami threat to Australia from the quake. 

The last major earthquake in Papua New Guinea occurred in March last year and killed five people. 

That earthquake, in the East Sepik region on the main land mass of Papua New Guinea, was magnitude 6.9 and just over 40 kilometres deep. 

More to come. 

- Agence France-Presse with additional reporting by The New Zealand Herald