US: A magnitude-5.6 offshore earthquake occurs south of the central Aleutian Islands, Alaska, at around 01:48 Dec. 5

A magnitude-5.6 earthquake occurred south of the central Aleutian Islands in Alaska at around 01:48 Dec. 5. The epicenter was about 166 km (103 miles) southwest of Nikolski. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 42 km (26 miles), and light shaking was probably felt throughout parts of the central Aleutian Islands. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake; 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.