Vanuatu: Magnitude-5.0 offshore earthquake occurs Shefa Province at aroudn 17:29 March 29

A magnitude-5.0 offshore earthquake occurred in the Coral Sea off central Vanuatu at around 17:29 March 29. The epicenter was about 104 km (64 miles) north of Port Vila. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 10 km (6 miles), and light shaking was probably felt throughout northern can central Vanuatu. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Aftershocks are possible 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.