Caspian Sea: A magnitude-5.4 offshore earthquake occurs in the Caspian Sea at around 08:15 Dec. 7

A magnitude-5.4 offshore earthquake occurred in the Caspian Sea, east of Azerbaijan, at around 08:15 Dec. 7. The epicenter was about 44 km (27 miles) north-northeast of Suraabad. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 42 km (26 miles), and weak-to-light shaking was probably felt throughout eastern parts of Azerbaijan. 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. Light aftershocks are likely over the coming days. The event has not prompted any tsunami advisories.

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.