Indonesia: Magnitude-5.0 earthquake occurs in West Papua Province March 24

A magnitude-5.0 earthquake occurred in West Papua Province at around 20:53 March 24. The epicenter was about 47 km (29 miles) northwest of Bintuni. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 49 km (30 miles), and light shaking was probably felt throughout West Papua Province. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake, and 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.

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.