Papua New Guinea: Magnitude-5.0 earthquake occurs in Hela Province, southeast of Tari, at around 09:29 Feb. 25

A magnitude-5.0 earthquake occurred in Hela Province at around 09:29 Feb. 25. The epicenter was about 45 km (25 miles) southeast of Tari. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 10 km (6 miles), and light shaking was probably felt in parts of Hela, Southern Highlands, and Western Highlands provinces. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties; however, 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.

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.