Indonesia: A magnitude-5.2 offshore earthquake occurs off Sipura Island, Mentawai Islands Regency, Jan. 8

A magnitude-5.2 earthquake occurred off the west coast of Sipura Island in Mentawai Islands Regency, West Sumatra Province, at around 16:51 Jan. 8. The epicenter was about 30 km (18 miles) south-southeast of Tuapejat, Sipura Island. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 18 km (11 miles), and moderate shaking was probably felt on parts of Sipura Island, as well as light shaking throughout parts of central, southern, and western West Sumatra, northern Bengkulu, and western Jambi provinces. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake; however, significant damage is unlikely. 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.