M5.3 Earthquake 203 km ENE of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen — October 30, 2020
2020-10-30 23:46:45 UTC (2020-10-30) · approx. 11:46 PM UTC+0 local
On October 30, 2020 at 23:46 UTC, a magnitude 5.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck 203 km ENE of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 71.4672°, -3.3066°.
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
-3.3066°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.3 earthquake near Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen?
The magnitude 5.3 earthquake that struck 203 km ENE of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen on October 30, 2020 at 23:46 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 71.4672°, -3.3066°, which is 203 km ENE of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen.
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: us7000c8gc). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, October 30, 2020). M5.3 Earthquake 203 km ENE of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen — October 30, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000c8gc/