Papua New Guinea: Magnitude-5.1 earthquake occurs in Morobe Province at around 10:18 March 18

A magnitude-5.1 earthquake occurred in Morobe Province at around 10:18 March 18. The epicenter was about 55 km (34 miles) north of Lae. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 95 km (59 miles), and light shaking was probably felt in parts of Morobe, Eastern Highlands, Chimbu, eastern Gulf, and eastern and central Madang 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.