A minor earthquake struck near Oslo on Sunday morning, causing no injuries or significant damage, according to Norwegian authorities and seismic experts.
The earthquake, with a magnitude of 3.6, occurred at 09:25 near Jessheim, approximately 40 km northeast of Oslo, reported NORSAR, Norway’s seismic monitoring institute.
The tremor was felt in various parts of the region. At Pressens Hus, home to NTB’s offices, walls were briefly shaken, according to the news agency.
Police are currently conducting aerial monitoring of Østlandet, the eastern region where the quake occurred, using a helicopter.
“There are no reports of major damage following the earthquake. The police helicopter has surveyed the area around Sørum, which is considered a potential epicentre,” said Gisle Lindheim Sveen, a local police operations chief, in a statement to the media.
“Based on initial information shared by experts, no part of the eastern region is considered dangerous,” Sveen added.
Earthquakes with magnitudes above 3 are not uncommon in eastern Norway, NORSAR explained, noting that eight such events have been documented over the past 25 years.
This seismic activity can be attributed to the region’s location on the Oslo Graben, a geological formation created around 300 million years ago. The area contains numerous small faults, where even slight surface stress variations can trigger movement.
The most powerful earthquake on record in eastern Norway occurred on 23 October 1904, registering a magnitude of 5.4 on the Richter scale, according to NORSAR.
