Large earthquake swarm near Reykjanestá
Reykjanes Lighthouse by Reykjanestá. mbl.is/Eggert Jóhannesson
A large earthquake swarm is currently occurring near Reykjanestá, in the southwest of the Reykjanes Peninsula.
It is not believed to be an eruption. The swarm began at 2:30 pm and is still ongoing. Three earthquakes have been measured above magnitude three.
"We have regularly seen swarms there," says Jóhanna Malen Skúladóttir, a natural hazard specialist at the Icelandic Meteorological Office, adding that the earthquakes are not believed to be related to volcanic activity.
Four earthquakes have been estimated at or above magnitude three, the largest 3.5.
There have been no reports that the earthquakes have been felt in populated areas, according to a statement from the Meteorological Office.
A swarm in December but in a different place
The last earthquake swarm occurred outside Reykjanestá at the end of December when earthquakes of a similar magnitude were measured. The seismic activity was then near Eldey, about 10 kilometers southwest of Reykjanestá, where the current activity is.
Since 2023, five earthquake swarms have occurred in the same area as the current activity. In addition, there were significant swarms there in 2021 and 2022.
"The earthquakes are possibly triggered by changes in the stress field on the Reykjanes Peninsula in parallel with earthquakes there in recent years," the Icelandic Meteorological Office said in a statement, noting that the agency's 24-hour watch continues to monitor the area closely.
