What the record shows for Svalbard
The strongest earthquake on record near Svalbard is a magnitude 6.7 in 1992, centred 230 km W of Longyearbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen - 34 years ago. The event is catalogued by USGS. See the event record.
Over the last 20 years, USGS has catalogued 876 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or greater within 1000 km of Svalbard - roughly 44 a year. That rate describes how often the ground moves enough to be recorded, not how often damage occurs; most of these are never felt.
The NOAA NCEI database records 4 tsunamis within 1000 km of Svalbard between 1810 and 2015. The most significant was in 1810 near Northern Norway, which killed around 14 people.
Sources: USGS earthquake catalog, NOAA tsunami database, and the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. Figures update as the catalogs are revised.
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Svalbard and Jan Mayen sit on the Arctic mid-ocean ridge, where seafloor spreading produces steady moderate earthquakes.
The only real protection is a warning the moment the ground moves - which is exactly what the free QuakeMate app gives you, along with tsunami and volcano alerts for Svalbard.
Earthquake risk in Svalbard - FAQ
Is Svalbard at risk of earthquakes?
Yes. On average about 44 quakes a year nearby of magnitude 4+ within 1000 km, based on the last 20 years of USGS data. The strongest earthquake on record nearby is M6.7 in 1992.
What was the biggest earthquake in Svalbard?
The strongest earthquake on record near Svalbard is M6.7, in 1992 (230 km W of Longyearbyen, Svalbard and Jan Mayen), from USGS.
Does Svalbard get tsunamis?
Yes - 4 tsunamis since 1810 (most recently 2015) within 1000 km, from the NOAA database. The deadliest killed around 14 people.
How do I get earthquake warnings in Svalbard?
Download the free QuakeMate app for iPhone. It watches your location and sends a real-time push the instant a quake strikes nearby, plus tsunami and volcano alerts, with custom magnitude and distance rules. On Android, join the waitlist.