Philippines: A magnitude-5.0 offshore earthquake occurs in Philippine Sea at around 00:06 April 17

A magnitude-5.0 earthquake occurred east of the Philippines at around 00:06 April 17. The epicenter was approximately 24 km (15 miles) east of Union. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 44 km (27 miles), and weak-to-light shaking was probably felt in several regions, including Eastern Visayas, Caraga, Northern Mindanao, and Eastern Mindanao. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake; 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.