Volcano and earthquake activity in Iceland
During the night of 4th November 2024 at 02:30 to around 03:00 UTC an small dyke intrusion took place in Sundhnúkagígar crater in Svartsengi volcano. Around 20 to 25 earthquakes took place in this minor dyke intrusion that stopped as quickly as it had started.
There is a ongoing risk of more sudden dyke intrusion like this. Those can go on for hours and might not even erupt at all. A lot more earthquake activity is going to happen if such a dyke intrusion happens.
It was reported yesterday (21-October-2024) and today (22-October-2024) that there is a increase activity in hot springs in Geysir area on Saturday 19-October-2024. Many of the hot springs are now hotter and erupting quicker and are more bubbling. Creating a risk for tourist travelling this area. Why this is happening is not known, since there are no signs of movement in the surface and have not been detected by Icelandic Met Office. Video of this increase in activity can be seen on Icelandic Met Office Facebook page.
Geysir hot spring area is part of a small volcano in this area. It last erupted more than 12.000 years ago. When last eruption took place is not know. This volcano is leaving an active period in next 500.000 years to 1.000.000 years, until it becomes extinct volcano. This happens because of the continental drift in Iceland.
Today (06-October-2024) at 17:56 UTC an earthquake with magnitude Mw4,5 to Mw5,1 took place in Bárðarbunga volcano. Icelandic Met Office reported this earthquake as Mw4,5 and EMSC reported this earthquake as Mw5,0. USGS reported this earthquake as Mw5,1. Yesterday (05-October 2024) two magnitude Mw3,7 and Mw3,9 earthquakes took place in Bárðarbunga volcano.
This earthquake activity in Bárðarbunga volcano happens because of inflation that is now happening in Bárðarbunga volcano. This inflation is going to take decades to complete and in that time, this type of earthquake activity is going to be frequent with several magnitude Mw5,0 earthquake over the year, but fewer as the time goes on from last eruption (ended in February 2015). After 10 to 30 years, there is only going to be one magnitude Mw5,0 earthquake larger every few years.
Today (30-September 2024) at 05:35 UTC an earthquake with magnitude of Mw3,6 took place in Katla volcano. This earthquake was not felt. This earthquake happens right after a minor glacier flood from Mýrdalsjökull glacier.
There has not been any more earthquakes following this activity. Overall the activity at the writing of this article is quiet and has been so since the small eruption in July in Katla volcano. Small and large glacier flood can happen without warning from Mýrdalsjökull glacier.
Today (29-September 2024) at 17:40 and 17:43 UTC two earthquakes with magnitude of Mw3,6 and Mw3,3 took place in Krýsuvík-Trölladyngja volcano. This earthquakes where felt in Reykjavík and nearby towns.
Earthquake activity has been increasing in last few weeks in Krýsuvík-Trölladyngja volcano. The reason for this increase is unclear at this moment.
Today (3-September 2024) at 16:31 UTC an earthquake with magnitude of Mw5,0 took place in Bárðarbunga volcano. This was followed by few smaller earthquakes and there has been increased minor earthquake activity in Bárðarbunga volcano in recent days.
This size of earthquake is going to happen in Bárðarbunga volcano at least once to twice a year for the next 40 to 60 years. I am not expecting an eruption in Bárðarbunga volcano until at least 2120 and no earlier then the year 2090. Until then, its going to be decades of earthquake activity like this one.
Yesterday (25. August 2024) at 23:56 UTC an earthquake with magnitude of Mw3,6 took place in Krýsuvík volcano. This earthquake was felt in Reykjavík area and other nearby towns.
This is a normal tectonic earthquake. I don’t know if it is a response to stress changes because of Svartsengi volcano cycle of inflation and deflation. This earthquake swarm seems to be over for now.
This is a short update on the eruption in Svartsengi volcano. This information might go outdated quickly.
This eruption can change without warning. If anything worth reporting happens. I’ll write a new article about what is going on.
Eruption started in Svartsengi volcano, in Sundhnúkagíga crater row. The eruption is powerful as is the normal with this type of eruption. The time from earthquake start to the eruption started was around 30 to 40 minutes.
I’ll post more information if I have anything to report. Last eruption in this same area started on 29. May and ended on 22. June.
Starting sometimes late yesterday (26-July 2024), a small eruption seems to have started in Katla volcano. At the writing of this article, the eruption seems to be over, but it might restart at any time without warning, it is impossible to know at the moment, since harmonic tremor is unclear for now because of the glacier flood. Largest earthquake at the writing of this article had magnitude of Mw2,9.
Glacier flood is ongoing and is going to be ongoing for next few hours. The area around Mýrdalsjökull glacier is dangerous because of this.