1933 Baffin Bay earthquake


The 1933 Baffin Bay earthquake struck Greenland and the Northwest Territories, Canada with a moment magnitude of 7.7 at on November 20.
The main shock epicenter was located in Baffin Bay on the east coast of Baffin Island. Shaking was only felt at the small town of Upernavik, Greenland. The event is the largest recorded earthquake to strike the passive margin of North America and is the largest north of the Arctic Circle. No damage was reported because of its offshore location and the small population of the nearby onshore communities.

Regional Seismicity

The region around northwestern Baffin Bay and northeastern Baffin Island continues to be seismically active. Six magnitude 6 earthquakes have occurred there since 1933. Multiple small earthquakes with magnitudes ~4-5.5 still occur each year.