Philippines: Magnitude-5.0 offshore earthquake occurs in the West Philippine Sea west of Vigan, Ilocos Sur Province, at around 14:55 Dec. 19

A magnitude-5.0 offshore earthquake occurred in the West Philippine Sea at around 14:55 Dec. 19. The epicenter was about 89 km (55 miles) west of Vigan, Ilocos Sur Province. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 10 km (6 miles), and light shaking was probably felt in parts of the Ilocos and Cordillera regions. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties; 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.