M5.3 Earthquake north of Svalbard — August 5, 2020
2020-08-05 08:48:05 UTC (2020-08-05) · approx. 8:48 AM UTC+0 local
On August 5, 2020 at 08:48 UTC, a magnitude 5.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck north of Svalbard, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 87.3860°, 7.0685°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.3 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 1 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.7 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
7.0685°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.3 earthquake north of Svalbard?
The magnitude 5.3 earthquake that struck north of Svalbard on August 5, 2020 at 08:48 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 87.3860°, 7.0685°, which is north of Svalbard.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.3 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000b9kr). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, August 5, 2020). M5.3 Earthquake north of Svalbard — August 5, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000b9kr/