Madagascar: Magnitude-5.2 offshore earthquake occurs off Tolagnaro at around 03:25 Sept. 18

A magnitude-5.2 offshore earthquake occurred in the Indian Ocean off Madagascar at around 03:25 Sept. 18. The epicenter was about 83 km (51 miles) south-southeast of Tolagnaro. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 10 km (6 miles), and weak-to-light shaking was probably felt in southern Anosy and southeastern Androy regions. 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 possible 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.