Vanuatu: Magnitude-5.0 offshore earthquake occurs north of Espiritu Santo Island at around 08:47 Feb. 25

A magnitude-5.0 offshore earthquake occurred off the coast of Espiritu Santo island, in Vanuatu, at around 08:47 Feb. 25. The epicenter was about 13 km (8 miles) north-northwest of Port Olry. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 59 km (37 miles), and light shaking was probably felt throughout parts of northern and central Vanuatu. 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. 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.