The United States Geological Survey said the shallow magnitude-6.8 earthquake struck Wednesday morning about 19 kilometers (11 miles) from the small northern town of Aitape.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center did not immediately issue any alerts.
Papua New Guinea is prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanoes and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.
Source: Strong magnitude-6.8 earthquake strikes near Papua New Guinea; no initial tsunami warning by Associated Press
The coastal town of Aitape was devastated in 1998 when a huge earthquake triggered a tsunami that left more than 2,000 people dead.
No tsunami warning was issued, but the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said a quake this strong could sometimes generate local tsunami waves within 100km of the epicentre.
"Authorities in the region should be aware of this possibility and take appropriate action," it said.
An eyewitness told ABC News that many people sought higher ground after the earthquake struck.
Source: Strong earthquake strikes Papua New Guinea by Associated Press
Kamave said there had been no unusual waves off Aitape since the quake, which struck at a depth of 13 kilometres (8 miles). Shallow quakes can potentially cause more damage at the surface.
Papua New Guinea is prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanoes and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.
A magnitude-7.0 earthquake on the northern coast in 1998 generated a large tsunami that swamped Aitape and several other villages, killing about 2,200 people.
Source: Strong, shallow earthquake shakes Papua New Guinea, but no major damage or tsunami reported By The Associated Press