Vanuatu, New Caledonia: A magnitude-5.6 offshore earthquake occurs near Tafea Province, Vanuatu, at around 02:29 Nov. 6

A magnitude-5.6 earthquake occurred near the Tefea Province in Vanuatu at around 02:29 Nov. 6. The epicenter was about 318 km (198 miles) south-southeast of Port-Vila. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 51 km (32 miles), and shaking was probably felt throughout the Tafea Province, Vanuatu, and Loyalty Islands Province, New Caledonia. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Aftershocks are likely over the coming days.

Officials may temporarily shut down transportation infrastructure in the tremor zone to check for damage. Minor disruptions could occur during shutdowns, but service will likely resume quickly if no damage is found. Utility outages are possible, particularly near the earthquake's epicenter.