Pacific tsunami warning after magnitude 7.9 quake

A magnitude 7.9 earthquake has struck off the east coast of Papua New Guinea, according to reports.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre says widespread hazardous tsunami waves are possible.

The centre said tsunami waves were possible in the next three hours along some coasts of not only Papua New Guinea but also Indonesia, the Solomon Islands, Pohnpei, Chuuk, Nauru, Kosrae and Vanuatu.

New Zealand's Ministry of Civil Defence has also issued a warning for all of the country's coast.

Papua New Guinea sits on the Ring of Fire, the arc of seismic faults around the Pacific Ocean where earthquakes are common.