The volcanic eruption that started in Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland on March 16, 2024, continues at a fairly constant rate, marking the most substantial activity in the region with four registered eruptions since December 2023. This event has caught the attention of the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) due to the large volumes of sulfur dioxide (SO2) released into the atmosphere.
A fissure eruption that started on Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland on March 16, 2024, continues at a fairly constant rate, with an average lava flow from the craters of about 14.5 m3 per second (512 feet3/s) from March 17 to 20. About 700 people at the Blue Lagoon spa and several in the town of Grindavík were evacuated within a 30-minute period after the start of the eruption.
After more than a month of magma buildup, a new eruption began in Reykjanes Peninsula, between Hagafell and Stóra-Skógfell, at 20:23 UTC on March 16, 2024.
Unfavorable weather conditions have disrupted the earthquake monitoring system on Reykjanes Peninsula by dampening small events, resulting in a lower number of detected earthquakes since Saturday, March 2, 2024. Nevertheless, the volume of magma beneath Svartsengi continues to increase, which could result in a new dike intrusion and possibly an eruption with very short notice.
Updated modeling shows Svartsengi’s magma volume reached 7.6 million m³ (268.3 million ft³) on February 26, 2024, and is now near or at the eruption threshold. With seismic activity increasing, particularly east of Sýlingarfell, the Norwegian Meteorological Agency has raised risk assessments, marking the Sundhnjúka crater series at high risk and adjusting other zones accordingly.
Data released by the Icelandic Met Office (IMO) shows that about 15 million cubic meters (530 million cubic feet) of lava flowed in the first seven hours of the eruption near Grindavik on February 8, 2024. The eruption has since decreased significantly but is still not over.
Updated findings as of February 1, 2024, show a heightened eruption risk near Grindavík, with about 6.5 million cubic meters (229 million cubic feet) of magma flowing into the Svartsengi chamber.
Recent volcanic activity in the Svartsengi area has led to continuous land uplift, although the exact rate is still being determined through GNSS measurements. Around 200 earthquakes, the largest measuring M1.4, have been recorded near the magma conduit since yesterday. Despite a reduction in earthquake frequency, significant risks, including ground collapse, remain for the nearby Grindavík area.
A day after a new volcanic eruption started near the evacuated city of Grindavik, Iceland, authorities are reporting a reduced flow of lava. While it’s unclear how long the eruption will last, they warn new cracks may be appearing on the surface within the city in the next few days.
Another eruption began south-southeast of Hagafell, Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland at 07:57 UTC on January 14, 2024. The latest images show the lava flowing toward the town of Grindavik. The perimeter was about 450 m (1 470 feet) from the northernmost houses in the town around 08:40 UTC.
