Indonesia: Magnitude-5.1 offshore earthquake occurs in the Banda Sea, July 22

A magnitude-5.1 earthquake occurred in the Banda Sea at around 23:47 July 22. The epicenter was about 176 km (109 miles) west of Tual, Maluku Province. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 61 km (38 miles), and light-to-weak shaking was probably felt throughout parts of eastern Maluku Province. 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.