M4.9 earthquake — 214 km WSW of Longyearbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen
An magnitude 4.9 earthquake occurred 214 km WSW of Longyearbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen on Aug 17, 2026 at 19:51 UTC. The epicenter was at a depth of 10 km — a shallow earthquake. Shallow quakes concentrate their energy near the surface, so they tend to produce stronger shaking close to the epicenter.
Event data
| Magnitude | M4.9 |
|---|---|
| Depth | 10.0 km |
| Coordinates | 77.547, 7.082 |
| Time | Aug 17, 19:51 UTC |
| Location | 214 km WSW of Longyearbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen |
| USGS event ID | usd0015efp |
What this magnitude typically means
Light earthquakes are felt by most people nearby but rarely cause damage. Distance, depth, and soil type determine whether a quake feels sharp or barely noticeable. Tremor does not compute a single local shaking figure here, because how strong a quake feels at any address depends on distance, depth and local geology — open the interactive globe to explore the ShakeMap and estimated intensity.
Source: USGS earthquake catalog. Automated readings may be revised. Not for emergency use.