Philippines: Magnitude-5.7 offshore earthquake occurs off Samar Island at around 11:39 Aug. 19

A magnitude-5.7 earthquake occurred in the Philippine Sea, north of Samar Island, at around 11:39 Aug. 19. The epicenter was about 23 km (14 miles) north of Bugko. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 37 km (23 miles), and moderate shaking likely occurred near the epicenter in northern Samar Island, with light shaking probably felt throughout the rest of eastern Visayas and Bicol regions. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties. 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.