The earthquake swarm at Grímsey island off the north coast of Iceland continued unabated yesterday, Monday. The seismic monitoring system of the Icelandic Meteorological Office recorded a total of powerful 3+ earthquakes on the ocean floor to the east and northeast of the small island. Hundreds of smaller tremors were recorded, as the ocean floor has trembled nearly non-stop since Wednesday February 14.
Activity slowing down?
The activity appears to have slowed down since yesterday. Fewer small tremors have been recorded since midnight, and only one 3+ quake. At 3:05 a magnitude 3 earthquake was detected 15.2 km (9.4 mi) east-northeast of the island at a depth of 13.9 km (8.6 mi) below the earth's crust. This last major quake in the swarm had an epicenter in the very center of last days' activity.
Read more: Scientists unsure what's going around Grímsey: Massive earthquake swarm might have peaked
The most powerful earthquake recorded in the current swarm, a 5.2 magnitude earthquake, hit early Monday morning. This powerful quake was followed by an intense wave including dozens other powerful 3+ and 4+ quakes and hundreds of smaller tremors. Geophysicists at the Icelandic Meteorological Office told the local newspaper Fréttablaðið that it was still too early to say whether the 5.2 quake was the main event of the current swarm or whether the other shoe was yet to drop.
Uncertainty phase in effect
An Uncertainty Phase has been declared due to the quakes. Residents in Grímsey have been asked to earthquake-proof their homes, removing any heavy objects from shelves. No damage has been reported in the quakes so far, but the constant tremors have caused some concern among the 90 inhabitants of the island.
Read more: Civil Protection Agency declares uncertainty phase due to seismic unrest north of Iceland
The earthquake swarm at Grímsey island off the north coast of Iceland continued unabated yesterday, Monday. The seismic monitoring system of the Icelandic Meteorological Office recorded a total of powerful 3+ earthquakes on the ocean floor to the east and northeast of the small island. Hundreds of smaller tremors were recorded, as the ocean floor has trembled nearly non-stop since Wednesday February 14.
Activity slowing down?
The activity appears to have slowed down since yesterday. Fewer small tremors have been recorded since midnight, and only one 3+ quake. At 3:05 a magnitude 3 earthquake was detected 15.2 km (9.4 mi) east-northeast of the island at a depth of 13.9 km (8.6 mi) below the earth's crust. This last major quake in the swarm had an epicenter in the very center of last days' activity.
Read more: Scientists unsure what's going around Grímsey: Massive earthquake swarm might have peaked
The most powerful earthquake recorded in the current swarm, a 5.2 magnitude earthquake, hit early Monday morning. This powerful quake was followed by an intense wave including dozens other powerful 3+ and 4+ quakes and hundreds of smaller tremors. Geophysicists at the Icelandic Meteorological Office told the local newspaper Fréttablaðið that it was still too early to say whether the 5.2 quake was the main event of the current swarm or whether the other shoe was yet to drop.
Uncertainty phase in effect
An Uncertainty Phase has been declared due to the quakes. Residents in Grímsey have been asked to earthquake-proof their homes, removing any heavy objects from shelves. No damage has been reported in the quakes so far, but the constant tremors have caused some concern among the 90 inhabitants of the island.
Read more: Civil Protection Agency declares uncertainty phase due to seismic unrest north of Iceland