Overall Green Earthquake alert in Iceland on 20 Oct 2020 13:43 UTC

GDACS is a cooperation framework between the United Nations, the European Commission and disaster managers worldwide to improve alerts, information exchange and coordination in the first phase after major sudden-onset disasters.

M 5.5 in Iceland on 20 Oct 2020 13:43 UTC

Hazard models

EQ parameters

Shakemap

Tsunami

Event summary

This earthquake is expected to have a low humanitarian impact based on the magnitude and the affected population and their vulnerability.

Earthquake Magnitude:	5.5M
Depth:	10 Km
Lat/Lon:	64.0186 , -22.1232
Event Date:	20 Oct 2020 13:43 UTC 20 Oct 2020 13:43 Local
Exposed Population:	Less then 100 people in MMI VIII 260000 people within 100km
Source:	NEIC us6000ca0k
Inserted at:	21 Oct 2020 13:48 UTC
INFORM Coping capacity of the alert score	1.9 (Iceland)

GDACS Score

For more info on GDACS alert score click here.

	Earthquake (Shakemap)		GDACS score
NEIC	0		0
us6000ca0k	Scaled population (raster)	0.6
	C1 shakemap	-0.59
	C2 shakemap	0.53
	Country Vulnerability	0
	INFORM_normalised	0.62

Maximum expected impact using different data sources.

Episode Timeline

ID	Alert	Score	Date	Mag, Depth	MMI*	Population**	Tsunami risk***	Delay (hh:mm)	Source
1338712		0.3	20 Oct 2020 13:43	5.6M, 10km	7.79	698 (in MMI>=VII)		00:18	NEIC
1338720		0	20 Oct 2020 13:43	5.5M, 10km	6.81	160 (in MMI>=VII)		1d 00:05	NEIC

The episode that generated the alert; the next major evaluations beyond 12 hours will not trigger additional alerts.

The episode that has the last updated information.

* The max MMI detected for sources having shakemaps;
** The population detected in MMI>=7 for episode with shakemap or in a 100km radius;
*** The tsunami max height.

Exposed population

The earthquake happened in Iceland , Independent Town of Reykjavik (population 157,415) . The nearest places are Straumsvik, Kálfatjörn, Hafnarfjord, Vogar, Kópavogur, Reykjavík, Keflavík, Gufunes, Njardhvikur, Grindavík, and Laugarvatn.

Radius	Population
100 km	270000 people
75 km	260000 people
50 km	250000 people
20 km	200000 people
10 km	14000 people
5 km	<1000 people
2 km	<1000 people

Affected Provinces

Region Province	Country	Population
Reykjavik	Iceland	160000 people
Sudhurland	Iceland	23000 people

Affected populated places

Name	Country	City class	Population	Distance
Straumsvik	Iceland	Village	-	1 km
Kálfatjörn	Iceland	Village	-	8 km
Hafnarfjord	Iceland	City	-	10 km
Vogar	Iceland	Village	<1000 people	13 km
Kópavogur	Iceland	Village	25000 people	15 km
Reykjavík	Iceland	Capital	110000 people	17 km
Keflavík	Iceland	City	7700 people	22 km
Gufunes	Iceland	Village	-	23 km
Njardhvikur	Iceland	Village	-	24 km
Grindavík	Iceland	Village	2200 people	25 km
Mosfellsbær	Iceland	Village	-	26 km
Brautarholt	Iceland	Village	-	29 km
Býjarsker	Iceland	Village	-	29 km
Strandakirkja	Iceland	Village	-	29 km
Hafnir	Iceland	Village	<1000 people	30 km
Saurbær	Iceland	Village	-	32 km
Akranes	Iceland	Village	5600 people	34 km
Innrihólmur	Iceland	Village	-	39 km
Porklakshofn	Iceland	Village	-	40 km
Melar	Iceland	Village	-	43 km
Hveragerði	Iceland	Village	1800 people	45 km
Reynivellir	Iceland	Village	-	48 km
Leirá	Iceland	Village	-	48 km
Hofn	Iceland	Village	-	50 km
Eyrarbakki	Iceland	Village	<1000 people	50 km
Álftanes	Iceland	Village	-	51 km
Saurbaer	Iceland	Village	-	53 km
Úlfljótsvatn	Iceland	Village	-	53 km
Miðsandur	Iceland	Village	-	53 km
Thingvellir	Iceland	Village	-	55 km
Geitaberg	Iceland	Village	-	56 km
Selfoss	Iceland	Village	5400 people	56 km
Stokkseyri	Iceland	Village	<1000 people	56 km
AEdharvatn	Iceland	Village	-	56 km
Borgarnes	Iceland	Village	1800 people	58 km
Hvanneyri	Iceland	Village	<1000 people	60 km
Langarfoss	Iceland	Village	-	63 km
Klausturholar	Iceland	Village	-	66 km
Alftorbakki	Iceland	Village	-	69 km
Villingaholt	Iceland	Village	-	70 km
Lundur	Iceland	Village	-	70 km
Laugarvatn	Iceland	Village	<1000 people	70 km

see full list

Critical infrastructure

Airports, ports, nuclear plants and hydrodams at risk, if affected, are listed below.

Airports

Name	IATA Code	Elevation (m)	Usage	Runway type	IFR	Runway Length (ft)	Distance
Reykjavik Domestic	RKV	14	Civ.	Paved	Yes	5700	15 km
Keflavik International	KEF	52	Civ.	Paved	Yes	10000	24 km
Borgarfjordur Eystri	BGJ	unknown				0	50 km
Selfoss		20				0	54 km

Ports

Name	LOCODE	Country	Distance
Straumsvik	ISSTR	Iceland	5 km
Hafnarfjordur	ISHAF	Iceland	10 km
Skerjafjordur	ISKJF	Iceland	15 km
Reykjavik	ISREY	Iceland	17 km
Keflavik-Njarovik	ISKEV	Iceland	21 km
Hvalfjordur		Iceland	28 km
Akranes	ISAKR	Iceland	35 km
Eyrarbakki		Iceland	50 km
Stokkseyri		Iceland	56 km
Borgarnes	ISBOR	Iceland	58 km

More information

For a full list of available products related to this event, please refer to the GDACS Resources page.

Disclaimer
While we try everything to ensure accuracy, this information is purely indicative and should not be used for any decision making without alternate sources of information.
The JRC is not responsible for any damage or loss resulting from the use of the information presented on this website.
The designations employed and the presentation of material on the map do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the European Union concerning the legal status of any country, territory or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.