PNG: A magnitude-5.3 earthquake occurs off the coast of Morobe Province at around 23:13 Aug. 15

A magnitude-5.3 earthquake occurred just off the coast of Morobe Province at around 23:13 Aug. 15. The epicenter was about 32 km (20 miles) south of Lae. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 10 km (6 miles), and moderate-to-light shaking was probably felt near the epicenter, as well as light shaking throughout Morobe Province and surrounding areas between Port Moresby and Madang. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake; however, 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.