Strong M6.5 earthquake hits Jan Mayen, Norway
A strong earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.5 hit near the coast of Jan Mayen, Norway at 02:33 UTC on March 10, 2025. The agency is reporting a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). EMSC reported a slightly higher magnitude of M6.6 with the same depth.
Image credit: TW/SAM, Google
The epicenter was located 36 km (22 miles) NNE of Olonkinbyen (population 14), 730 km (454 miles) NE of Akureyri (population 19 219), and 932 km (579 miles) W of Sortland (population 10 468), in the Svalbard and Jan Mayen region.
According to NWS/PTWC, this earthquake does not pose a tsunami threat based on all available data.
The USGS issued a Green alert for shaking-related fatalities and economic losses, indicating a low likelihood of casualties and damage.
Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are resistant to earthquake shaking, though vulnerable structures exist. The predominant vulnerable building type is unreinforced brick with concrete floor construction.
Svalbard and Jan Mayen are located in tectonically active areas near the Arctic mid-ocean ridge, the Norwegian Sea, and the Greenland Sea.
Jan Mayen sits on the Jan Mayen Microcontinent, near the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, making it particularly prone to seismic activity, while Svalbard experiences quakes due to stress from plate boundaries and glacial rebound (isostatic adjustment after ice melting).
The frequency of earthquakes is higher in Jan Mayen due to its proximity to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a divergent plate boundary, compared to Svalbard, which has more sporadic activity tied to regional tectonics and glacial dynamics.
Estimated population exposure to earthquake shaking
Selected cities exposed
Regional seismicity
References:
1 M 6.5 – 36 km NNE of Olonkinbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen – USGS – March 10, 2025
2 Magnitude 6.6 – Jan Mayen – EMSC – March 10, 2025
3 Tsunami Warning – NWS/PTWC – March 10, 2025
Rishika holds a Master’s in International Studies from Stella Maris College, Chennai, India, where she earned a gold medal, and an MCA from the University of Mysore, Karnataka, India. Previously, she served as a Research Assistant at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India. During her tenure, she contributed as a Junior Writer for Europe Monitor on the Global Politics website and as an Assistant Editor for The World This Week. Her work has also been published in The Hindu newspaper, showing her expertise in global affairs. Rishika is also a recipient of the Women Empowerment Award at the district level in Haryana, India, in 2022.
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