North Atlantic Ocean — A magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck along the Reykjanes Ridge in the North Atlantic on Wednesday afternoon, the U.S. Geological Survey reports.

**What happened:** The USGS says the quake hit at 2:06 p.m. Central Time, about six miles beneath the seafloor along the mid-ocean ridge southwest of Iceland. USGS seismologists have reviewed the data and confirmed the magnitude.

**Impacts:** The epicenter sits in remote open ocean, far from any coastline, so no shaking was reported on land and no damage has been reported. The USGS issued no tsunami threat with this event.

**What to do:**

- If you ever feel shaking: drop, cover, and hold on under sturdy furniture until it stops.

- Stay clear of windows, shelves, and anything that can fall.

- After a quake, check for hazards like gas leaks and damaged wiring before going back inside a building.

- Aftershocks can follow for days — stay alert.

*Source: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), October 21, 2026.*