Earthquake activity near Grímsey declining

Seismic activity near Grímsey has decreased significantly, though small earthquakes continue to be recorded. In the past 24 hours alone, approximately 130 tremors were measured in the area, according to Steinunn Helgadóttir, a natural hazard specialist at the Icelandic Meteorological Office.

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Magma movements cannot be ruled out near Grímsey

The earthquake swarm, which began during the night of May 14, has included a strongest recorded magnitude of 5. However, Helgadóttir notes that most of the recent quakes have been below magnitude 2.

“Both the activity and the strength of the earthquakes are diminishing, but it’s difficult to predict when the swarm will fully subside,” she said in an interview with mbl.is. She explained that the tremors are most likely the result of tectonic shifts in the Earth's crust. Grímsey lies on a transverse fault zone, and the seismic activity remains concentrated just east of the island.

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Grímsey still shaking: Third major quake hits island

Ongoing inflation at Svartsengi

When asked about the situation on the Reykjanes Peninsula, Helgadóttir reported some ongoing seismic activity near Reykjanestá and around the magma tunnel beneath the Sundhnúkagígar crater row. Land inflation is continuing in the Svartsengi area.

While no immediate developments are expected, scientists caution that the risk of a volcanic eruption in Svartsengi increases as autumn approaches. The most recent eruption—the eighth in the current series on the Sundhnúkagígar crater row —occurred on April 1 and lasted around six hours. The eruption sequence began in December 2023.