The biggest earthquake of the year in Mýrdalsjökull glacier

Glacier cracks mark the surface of Mýrdalsjökull glacier.

Glacier cracks mark the surface of Mýrdalsjökull glacier. mbl.is/RAX

An earthquake of magnitude 3.7 occurred in Goðabunga, near Austmannabunga in Mýrdalsjökull glacier before 6 o'clock this morning.

The earthquake is the biggest this year in the glacier, but in February there was an earthquake measuring 3.4 in magnitude.

Another smaller earthquake followed shortly after in Godabunga this morning. According to the unsurpassed figures of the Icelandic Meteorological Office, it was 2.4 in size.

"We are monitoring what is happening," says Bjarki Kaldalóns Friis, a natural hazard expert at the Icelandic Meteorological Office, adding that this seismic activity is nothing unusual. There is no need to worry much. He says that the earthquakes could be related to the glacier run that is ending in Skálm and the geothermal heat in the area.

40 earthquakes on the Reykjanes Peninsula

About 40 earthquakes have been recorded in the last twelve hours on the Reykjaness Peninsula, northwest of Kleifarvatn. All these have been small earthquakes, according to Friis.

Yesterday afternoon there was an earthquake there, magnitude 3.6.

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