Category: Svartsengi

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Update on the eruption in Sundhnúkagígar in Svartsengi volcano at 17th July 2025 at 00:43 UTC

This is a summary update with best information I have at the moment. Some information might be out of date without me knowing about it.

  • The eruption fissure reached 2,5 km when it was at the longest length. It has started to get smaller as the eruption has dropped in intensity over the last few hours.
  • This is the most northern eruption in Svartsengi volcano so far.
  • The lava flow is towards Fagradalsfjall volcano and into Fagradals valley and is now filling up, if it has not done so already.
  • Harmonic tremor looks stable at the writing of this article. This can change quickly and without warning.
  • Early GPS data suggest that deflation of Svartsengi volcano is around 100mm for the last 12 hours where it is most. Depending on the GPS station location in the volcano system.
  • Earthquake activity has stopped or almost stopped in the area.
  • I don’t expect this eruption to last more than few days. However eruptions in this area sometimes continue in one crater at very low volume for a several weeks. At current time its impossible to know if that happens.
  • Fog is currently blocking all view of the eruption. So its impossible for me to know what is happening visually.
  • Gas pollution has been a problem in this eruption and wind direction. This might not improve until the eruption ends.

If there is anything more to report. I’ll post update here about it. I don’t expect there is going to be any need for any future update at the writing of this article.

Updated at 00:59 UTC on 17th of July with missing information.

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Eruption has started in Sundhnúkagígaröðinni in Svartsengi volcano

Today (16-July 2025) at 03:53:31 UTC an eruption started in Svartsengi volcano in Sundhnúkagígaröðinni crater row. This is the most northern part of the eruption area. Far from anything important. The eruption fissure doesn’t look large based on what can be seen on web cameras.

The eruption as seen on the web camera Þorbjörn. The lava strokes are clearly visible and are orange red in colour.
The eruption in Sundhnúkagígaröðinni in Svartsengi volcano. Screenshot from Rúv web camera on YouTube.

It is impossible to know how long this eruption is going to last. It might be few hours and up to few days. If needed. I’ll post updates about the eruption. Normally in this type of eruption that is not required.

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Eruption in Svartsengi volcano, Sundhnúkagígar crater row

This morning around 06:30 a dyke intrusion started in Svartsengi volcano with a strong earthquake swarm. An eruption started at around 09:50 UTC. This eruption is happening only in the area south of the area that erupted on 21. November 2024. A dyke formed in this even and is around 11 km long. This dyke might get longer and is possibly getting longer at the writing of this article.

A lot of red dots on Reykjanes peninsula because of the eruption in Svartsengi volcano, in Sundhnúkagígar crater row.
Earthquake swarm because of dyke intrusion and eruption in Svartsengi volcano. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.
A view of the earthquake swarm. Showing the sharp increase of the earthquake around 06:30 UTC.
How the earthquake progressed today in Svartsengi volcano. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.
Picture showing the eruption south of the defense barrier. Abandoned greenhouse next to the defense barrier. Picture from Rúv web camera.
The lava flow from Rúv web camera on YouTube. Screenshot from Rúv web camera.

This situation is still developing and can change quickly. I’ll post update as needed if anything major happens.

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Eruption has started in Sundhnúkagígaröðinni in Svartsengi volcano

Yesterday (20-November 2024) at 23:29 or 23:30 UTC an eruption started in Sundhnúkagígaröðinni in Svartsengi volcano. This is the earliest that eruption has started in this location for the last year since this eruption sequence started in Svartsengi volcano. The time between eruption is however among the longest ones or 77 days. The fissure that the eruption is happening in is at current time around 3 km long.

Red dots along the Sundhnúkagígar crater row as it started erupting in Svartsengi volcano.
The earthquake activity in Sundhnúkagígar crater row. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.
The lava fountains of the eruption as it started at 23:25 UTC in Iceland. Cloud of gas drifts towards south as wind is blowing from the north.
Early in the eruption in Sundhnúkagígaröðinni. Screenshot from Rúv web camera.
The eruption at 00:53 UTC. The lava fountains are lower and the gas cloud is smaller. Lava is seen flowing to the west from the eruption.
The eruption at 00:53 UTC in Sundhnúkagígaröðinni in Svartsengi volcano. Screenshot from Rúv web camera.

The harmonic tremor signal at the start of the eruption was very small. Suggesting that this eruption is not that large. If that holds true, it is possible that this eruption is not going to last that long and might be over by next week at the longest. Only time is going to tell if that happens or not. The main eruption happens in the first 6 to 8 hours.

If needed. I’ll write a new update on what is going on.

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Small dyke intrusion into Sundhnúkagígar in Svartsengi volcano during the night (4-November 2024)

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.

Dots of small earthquakes all over Reykjanes peninsula. The dots in Svartsengi volcano, in Sundhnúkagígar crater row. This group of small earthquakes is the dyke intrusion that was trying to happen during the night.
Earthquakes in Svartsengi volcano, Sundhnúkagígar crater row. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

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.

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Update on the eruption in Svartsengi on 23. August 2024 at 17:39 UTC

This is a short update on the eruption in Svartsengi volcano. This information might go outdated quickly.

  • The eruption is now on a 2 km long fissure. It is located just north of Stóra Skógfell. This is the most north part of the eruption fissure so far. Total length of the eruption fissure is 7 km, but most parts of it have stopped erupting.
  • The eruption can be seen from Reykjanesbraut on the way to Keflavík or Keflavík airport.
  • It is impossible to know how long this eruption is going to last. But harmonic tremor is already dropping and has been doing that since around 06:00 this morning. This eruption might last a day or it might last a month, at current time it is impossible to know.
  • Icelandic Met Office lost a seismometer (Litla Skógarfell) and a GPS station under lava in this eruption. So far, its only two stations. Since one (Norðurljósavegur) GPS station had been moved out of harms way earlier in August.
  • Largest earthquakes had the magnitude of Mw4,1 and Mw3,3. The larger one was just off Fagradalsfjall volcano and the smaller one was in Keilir mountain. The larger one was felt in Reykjavík and nearby areas.

This eruption can change without warning. If anything worth reporting happens. I’ll write a new article about what is going on.

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Eruption has started in Svartsengi volcano, Sundhnúkagíga

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.

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Eruption has started in Svartsengi, Sundhnúkagígar area

Eruption started in Sundhnúkagígar area í Svartsengi volcano. The start of eruption seems to have been at 12:47 UTC or around that minute. The fissure is getting longer as this article is being written.

The fissure and the eruption column in red and orange colour. A large gas cloud drifts to the east from the eruption.
The eruption in Sundhnúkagígar. Screenshot from Rúv web camera.
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Update on the eruption in Sundhnúkagígar on 22. March 2024 at 03:42 UTC

This is a short update on the eruption in Sundhnúkagígar in Svartsengi volcano.

  • The eruption is now the longest eruption in Svartsengi volcano since this eruption cycle started on 18. December 2023.
  • There are five to seven craters erupting at the writing of this article. Bad weather has blocked the view to the eruption site for most of yesterday and today (22. March 2024).
  • The outflow of lava, based on my own estimate (that might be wrong) is that the flow is around 20m3/sec. Its not a lot at the moment and that means the lava flow goes shorter distances.
  • Large lava ponds have formed and those empty regularly, resulting in a fast moving flow of lava going down to any area downhill from the eruption.
  • One person working at the be Blue Lagoon got sick from SO2 poisoning on 20. March 2024. That person did go to a hospital and is now recovering fine, according to the news.
  • A gravel mine got filled with lava yesterday (21. March 2024) when the lava pond broke and emptied it self.
  • Bad weather makes it difficult to monitor the eruption. Next good weather won’t be until Saturday (23. March 2024).
  • Early GPS data however suggest that there is not much of a deflation or inflation happening in Svartsengi volcano. That means the magma is flowing directly to the eruption and making minimal stop on the way to the surface.

This is all for now. Next update is going to be when something new happens. If this eruption is going to last for a long time. I’ll post regular updates on it. But for now, this eruption is just going to continue as is now doing.