A moderate 5.4 magnitude earthquake was recorded in the Andaman Sea late Saturday evening, according to the National Centre for Seismology. The quake was detected at a depth of roughly 30 kilometres beneath the seabed, and tremors were felt in parts of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as well as in some coastal belts of Southeast Asia.
Officials say there have been no immediate reports of casualties or major damage, but emergency teams and local administrators have been advised to remain on alert while aftershocks are possible in the next 24 hours. Ports, jetties, and key infrastructure points in the islands have been asked to carry out routine safety checks.
The Andaman region, located near major fault lines where the Indian Plate meets the Burma Microplate and Sunda Plate, is among the most seismically active zones in the world. Earthquakes in this part of the Indian Ocean Basin are frequent, though only a small number of events generate tsunamis or structural damage.
Seismologists say tonight’s quake does not currently indicate risk of a tsunami, though ocean monitoring systems will continue tracking water level changes as a precaution. Residents and fishermen in coastal areas have been urged not to panic and to follow guidance from local authorities if any advisories are issued.
The Andaman and Nicobar administration said it will share further updates if new assessments come in from disaster response agencies. For now, scientists say the event appears to be a standard tectonic adjustment in a high-activity zone — another reminder of the constant seismic forces shaping the region beneath the ocean floor.