The eruption site at Sundhnúksgígar, Reykjanes, Iceland, showed no active lava flow on December 21, 2023, with signs of diminishing activity and a decrease in seismic events.
A new volcanic fissure eruption started at 22:17 UTC on December 18, 2023, about 4 km (2.5 miles) NE of the town of Grindavik, Reykjanes, Iceland. The eruptive fissure is about 4 km long, with the northern end just east of Stóra-Skógfell and the southern end just east of Sundhnúk.
Although the rate of inflation at Svartsengi has decreased somewhat since Friday, December 8, 2023, it’s still greater than it was prior to the formation of the dike that traveled under Grindavík on November 10.
On November 21, 2023, the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) reported a decrease in seismic activity in the Reykjanes Peninsula, with 165 earthquakes, all below magnitude 2, detected since midnight. This decline contrasts with the previous days’ average of 1 500 to 1 800 earthquakes per 24-hour period.
Seismicity related to the magma intrusion that formed suddenly a week ago in Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland remains high and constant, although the level of activity is substantially lower than from November 10 to 12, 2023.
Over 700 earthquakes have been detected along the orientation of a magma intrusion in Iceland during the first 12 hours of November 14, 2023. The latest measurements show that the graben-like formation is still forming and is mechanically active.
Seismicity along the 15-km (9.3 miles) long magma intrusion continues, although the size and intensity of the activity is decreasing, the Icelandic Met Office reported at 13:00 UTC on November 13, 2023
A new update from the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) at 18:30 UTC today has raised significant concerns about an imminent volcanic eruption near Grindavík on the Reykjanes Peninsula. The latest data, stemming from a crucial status meeting involving the IMO, the University of Iceland, and the Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management, points to a substantial risk of volcanic activity in the coming days.
In response to a significant escalation in seismo-volcanic activity on the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland, characterized by an exceptional accumulation of magma, the intrusion of a substantial dike, and an intense earthquake swarm, the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) and Civil Defense authorities have implemented critical safety protocols on November 10, 2023. These measures include the mandatory evacuation of Grindavík and the proclamation of a state of emergency
The Icelandic Met Office (IMO) has issued an update on the seismic and volcanic activity at Mt. Þorbjörn on the Reykjanes Peninsula, providing new data on the ongoing seismic unrest that began in late October. The uplift at the GNSS station has seen additional enlargements since the 7 cm rise previously reported over a 10-day period, reflecting continued subterranean pressure changes. The IMO, alongside the Civil Protection Agency, remains on high alert for signs of magma ascent, which could indicate a new phase in the volcanic activity of the area.
