The quake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.6. and hit about 50 miles off Papua province. It was centered just 18 miles beneath the ocean floor.
Some street lamps fell down, and at least one building had a wall collapse. Authorities said the temblor did not have the potential to trigger a tsunami.
Back in December 2004, a giant earthquake just off the coast triggered a tsunami in the Indian Ocean that killed 230,000 people.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
