Day: December 18, 2023

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Eruption started close to Hagafell mountain (Update for Grindavík on 18. December 2023 at 23:17 UTC)

This is a short update. Information here is going to get outdated quickly.

An earthquake swarm started at 21:05 UTC in the dyke area that formed on 10. November 2023. This earthquake swarm is ongoing and seems to be connected to when the eruption fissure expands south towards Grindavík town. The eruption started at 22:17 UTC. There’s a lot of dangerous gas pollution from this eruption. Do not get close to this eruption. This is not a small tourist friendly eruption.

A lot of red dots showing the earthquake activity in the dyke and Svartsengi just before the eruption.
The earthquake activity in the dyke. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

I’ll post new article when I know more in next few hours.

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Earthquake swarm in Tjörnes Fracture Zone

During the night and into the morning of 18. December 2023 an earthquake swarm took place in Tjörnes Fracture Zone just south east of Grímsey island. Largest earthquake in this swarm had a magnitude of Mw3,4 at 08:06 UTC and was felt in Húsavík, Akureyri and Grímsey according to the news. Other earthquakes in this swarm where smaller in magnitude.

Green star just south-east of Grímsey island. With few dots that show the area of the earthquake activity in the Tjörnes Fracture Zone.
Earthquake activity in Tjörnes Fracture Zone. Copyright of this image belongs to Icelandic Met Office.

Earthquake activity in this area is common and larger earthquakes are frequent. Earthquake swarms happen regularly. This earthquake swarm seems to have ended.