PNG: A magnitude-5.0 offshore earthquake occurs in Bismarck Sea at around 02:06 Nov. 4

A magnitude-5.0 earthquake occurred near northeastern Papua New Guinea at around 02:06 on Nov. 4. The epicenter was approximately 200 km (124 miles) north of Madang. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 19 km (12 miles), and weak-to-light shaking was probably felt in parts of northwestern 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.