Magnitude 5.5 earthquake — Reykjanes Ridge
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck near Reykjanes Ridge at a depth of about 10 km. Details, shaking intensity and any tsunami information are on the USGS event page.
Explained simply
The Reykjanes Ridge is an underwater section of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a long boundary where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates move apart. As the sea floor shifts and stretches there, earthquakes are common.
The ridge lies southwest of Iceland, whose Reykjanes Peninsula continues the same plate boundary on land. Iceland’s position on the boundary is linked to both earthquakes and volcanic activity, so seismic events in the region are monitored for their possible effects on nearby communities and the wider area.