Katla Quivers

At 7:10 pm last night, an earthquake of magnitude 4 hit the northeast rim of the caldera of Katla volcano, under the ice cap of Mýrdalsjökull glacier, South Iceland. This is the largest earthquake to hit Katla since 2017, mbl.is reports. Prior to that, comparable seismic activity occurred in the area in 2012 and 2016.

Several aftershocks followed last night’s earthquake, the largest of which measured M3.4 at 7:44 pm.

According to Hulda Rós Helgadóttir, natural hazards specialist at the Icelandic Met Office, there are no signs of volcanic tremor, but meltwater from the glacier is being monitored.

Hulda states that such seismic activity is not abnormal, since Katla is known to quiver now and then. No increase in electrical conductivity has been detected in meltwater from the glacier, and, therefore, a glacial outburst flood, a.k.a. jökulhlaup, is not considered likely.

The Met Office will continue monitoring the situation.

According to icelandicvolcanoes.is, Katla volcano has erupted at least 21 times in the last 11 centuries. The last eruption to break through the ice took place in 1918.

We invite you to read more about Katla here.