A magnitude-5.1 earthquake occurred in the Caspian Sea off the east coast of Azerbaijan on May 11. The epicenter was about 9 km (5 miles) north of Lankaran, Azerbaijan. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 10 km (6 miles), and shaking was probably felt throughout Azerbaijan, northwest Iran, and southeastern Armenia (in Kapan, Kajaran, Agarak, Meghri cities, Alvank, Nrnadzor and Shvanidzor villages of Syunik province).
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. 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.
