Indonesia: Magnitude-5.3 earthquake occurs on Seram Island at around 07:10 WIT Dec. 13

Event

A magnitude-5.3 earthquake occurred on Maluku Province's Seram Island at around 07:10 WIT Dec. 13. The epicenter was about 17 km (10 miles) east of Amahai, Indonesia. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 61 km (38 miles), and light-to-moderate shaking was probably felt in parts of Seram Island, with weaker shaking felt in other areas of Maluku Province as well as parts of North Maluku and West Papua provinces. 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.

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.

Advice

Out of an abundance of caution, consider vacating multistory buildings where shaking occurred until authorities confirm their structural integrity. Monitor and plan for aftershocks.