Papua New Guinea: A magnitude-5.2 offshore earthquake occurs off the coast of Morobe Province at around 18:57 May 5

A magnitude-5.2 earthquake occurred off the coast of Morobe Province at around 18:57 May 5. The epicenter was about 107 km (67 miles) north-northwest of Lae. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 139 km (86 miles), and shaking was probably felt throughout Morobe, Eastern Highlands, eastern Jiwaka, and western West New Britain provinces. 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 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.