Reykjanes Peninsula Closely Monitored

Seismic activity  appears to be subsiding on the Reykjanes peninsula, Southwest Iceland, mbl.is reports. Still, the Icelandic Met Office keeps monitoring the area closely.

Saturday , around 9:30 am, three earthquakes in excess of magnitude 3 hit the area east-northeast of Eldey island on the Reykjanes Ridge. The largest one measured 3.5. (Eldey is located southwest of the peninsula, about 20 km (12mi) off the coast. It is famous for being home to one of the largest northern gannet colonies in the world).

During the past 48 hours , only five tremors in excess of magnitude 2 have registered on the Reykjanes peninsula.

Salóme Jórunn Bernharðsdóttir, natural hazards specialist at the Icelandic Met Office, tells mbl.is it is impossible to tell if magma is accumulating in the area, but adds that the area will continue to be closely monitored.

When asked if seismic activity is expected to continue in the coming days, she responds,

“It is hard to predict what will happen in the coming days. This could taper off for now. Still, it is clear that the Reykjanes peninsula has been seismically quite active during the past semester. Therefore, we can expect some seismic activity to resume, be it precisely in this area or slightly farther east.”