PNG: A magnitude-5.6 offshore earthquake occurs in Bismarck Sea at around 03:12 July 13

A magnitude-5.6 earthquake occurred near northeastern Papua New Guinea at around 03:12 July 13. The epicenter was approximately 97 km (60 miles) west-northwest of Rabaul. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 10 km (6 miles), and weak-to-moderate shaking was probably felt in parts of West New Britain Province, New Ireland Province, and East New Britain Province. 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.