4.5

M4.5 Earthquake 49 km NNE of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan MayenMarch 4, 2025

2025-03-04 23:27:00 UTC (2025-03-04) · approx. 10:27 PM UTC-1 local

MagnitudeM4.5(mb)
Time23:27 UTC10:27 PM UTC-1
Depth10.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates71.352°, -8.348°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On March 4, 2025 at 23:27 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 49 km NNE of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 71.3523°, -8.3478°. This earthquake was detected by 54 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 312, placing it among routine seismic activity.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.5 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 85 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 767 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 71.35°, -8.35°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.5 mb
Depth
10.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
71.3523°N
-8.3478°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us6000pwxk
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
312
Stations Used
54
Azimuthal Gap
47.0°
Min Station Distance
4.547°
RMS Residual
0.50 sec
Last Updated
2025-05-08 19:24:47 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen?

The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 49 km NNE of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen on March 4, 2025 at 23:27 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 71.3523°, -8.3478°, which is 49 km NNE of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.5 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000pwxk). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2025, March 4, 2025). M4.5 Earthquake 49 km NNE of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan MayenMarch 4, 2025. Retrieved May 8, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000pwxk/