PNG: A magnitude-5.0 offshore earthquake occurs in Solomon Sea at around 04:08 Sept. 20

A magnitude-5.0 offshore earthquake occurred in the Solomon Sea near Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea, at around 04:08 Sept. 20. The epicenter was approximately 124 km (76 miles) south-southeast of Panguna. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 66 km (41 miles), and weak-to-light shaking was probably felt throughout Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea, and northwestern Solomon Islands. 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.