OSLO, Norway (AP) — An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.6 struck Thursday off Jan Mayen island in Arctic waters between
Greenland and Norway, geological monitoring services said. No damage or injuries were reported.
The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre and the U.S. Geological Survey said the quake struck at 9:43 a.m. EDT, followed by a 5.2-magnitude temblor eight minutes later.
The USGC said the stronger quake hit at a depth of 5.3 miles, 58 miles northwest of Jan Mayen, a Norwegian island with a research station but no permanent population.
The quake could be felt on the island, but didn’t cause any damage or injuries, said Erik Persheim, an electronics engineer at the research station.
“We watched the mountain as the loose stones and shale came sliding down,” Persheim told The Associated Press. “It didn’t seem very big and I don’t think much of anything broke, but we’ll have to have a thorough inspection.”
He said there are currently 44 people on the island involved in various research and maintenance work. Normally, the station houses about 18 engineers and other personnel.
Norwegian seismologist Tormod Kvaerna said Jan Mayen, about 370 miles east of Greenland, lies near a fault line and is often exposed to earthquakes.
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