Papua New Guinea: A magnitude-6.3 offshore earthquake occurs in Bismarck Sea at around 02:46 Sept. 12

A magnitude-6.3 earthquake occurred in the Bismark Sea off northern Papua New Guinea at around 02:46 Sept. 12. The epicenter was approximately 170 km (106 miles) southwest of Lorengau. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 10 km (6 miles), and weak-to-moderate shaking was probably felt in parts of northern Papua New Guinea. 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.