Philippines: Magnitude-5.3 offshore earthquake occurs east of Mindanao Island March 1

Magnitude-5.3 earthquake occurred in the Philippine Sea off the east coast of Mindanao Island at around 09:29 March 1. The epicenter was about 43 km (27 miles) east of Aras-Asan, Surigao del Sur Province. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 35 km (22 miles), and light shaking was probably felt throughout parts of eastern and central Mindanao and the far southeastern Visayas islands. 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. 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.