M5.2 Earthquake 161 km ENE of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen — March 27, 2021
2021-03-27 06:59:58 UTC (2021-03-27) · approx. 6:59 AM UTC+0 local
On March 27, 2021 at 06:59 UTC, a magnitude 5.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck 161 km ENE of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 71.3779°, -4.4720°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.2 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 951 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.3 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-4.4720°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.2 earthquake near Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen?
The magnitude 5.2 earthquake that struck 161 km ENE of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen on March 27, 2021 at 06:59 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 71.3779°, -4.4720°, which is 161 km ENE of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.2 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000dwye). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, March 27, 2021). M5.2 Earthquake 161 km ENE of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen — March 27, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000dwye/