Papua New Guinea: A magnitude-5.3 offshore earthquake occurs in the Solomon Sea south of East New Britain Province Dec. 21

Event

A magnitude-5.3 earthquake occurred in the Solomon Sea south of East New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea, at around 21:16 Dec. 21. The epicenter was about 192 km (119 miles) east-southeast of Kimbe. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 10 km (6 miles), and light shaking was probably felt throughout much of East New Britain and parts of central and eastern West New Britain and southern New Ireland provinces. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake, and 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.

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.