Indonesia: A magnitude-5.0 offshore earthquake occurs in Molucca Sea at around 02:05 Jan. 31

A magnitude-5.0 earthquake occurred near central Indonesia at around 02:05 Jan. 31. The epicenter was approximately 156 km (97 miles) east-northeast of Bitung. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 40 km (25 miles), and weak-to-light shaking was probably felt in parts of North Maluku and North Sulawesi provinces. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake; significant damage is unlikely. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. 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.