PNG: A magnitude-5.3 earthquake occurs in the Morobe province at around 04:30 May 20

A magnitude-5.3 earthquake occurred in the Morobe province of Papua New Guinea at around 04:30 May 20. The epicenter was about 58 km (36 miles) northeast of Lae. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 60 km (37 miles), and shaking was probably felt throughout eastern Papua New Guinea, including the provinces of Morobe, West New Britain, Oro, Central, Gulf, Madang, Eastern Highlands, and Chimbu. 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.