5.3

M5.3 Earthquake near eastern Greenland — October 3, 2020

2020-10-03 13:22:47 UTC (2020-10-03) · approx. 11:22 AM UTC-2 local

MagnitudeM5.3(mww)
Time13:22 UTC≈ 11:22 AM UTC-2
Depth10.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates69.292°, -29.894°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On October 3, 2020 at 13:22 UTC, a magnitude 5.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck near eastern Greenland, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 69.2919°, -29.8937°.

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.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 69.29°, -29.89°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
5.3 mww
Depth
10.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
69.2919°N
-29.8937°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us6000c56t
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
432
Azimuthal Gap
30.0°
Min Station Distance
2.994°
RMS Residual
0.68 sec
Last Updated
2025-12-22 18:43:14 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 5.3 earthquake near eastern Greenland?

The magnitude 5.3 earthquake that struck near eastern Greenland on October 3, 2020 at 13:22 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 69.2919°, -29.8937°, which is near eastern Greenland.

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.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000c56t). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, October 3, 2020). M5.3 Earthquake near eastern Greenland — October 3, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000c56t/