M5.3 Earthquake in the Jan Mayen Island region — October 8, 2020
2020-10-08 10:42:21 UTC (2020-10-08) · approx. 9:42 AM UTC-1 local
On October 8, 2020 at 10:42 UTC, a magnitude 5.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck in the Jan Mayen Island region, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 71.6290°, -11.3098°.
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
-11.3098°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.3 earthquake in the Jan Mayen Island region?
The magnitude 5.3 earthquake that struck in the Jan Mayen Island region on October 8, 2020 at 10:42 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 71.6290°, -11.3098°, which is in the Jan Mayen Island region.
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: us6000c6p1). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, October 8, 2020). M5.3 Earthquake in the Jan Mayen Island region — October 8, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000c6p1/