A powerful 4.5 magnitude earthquake was detected in South Iceland shortly after noon today, Saturday. The first powerful quake was followed by an earthquake swarm, including a second powerful 3.3 magnitude earthquake. The tremors lasted for 10-15 seconds and were felt all over South Iceland.
Read more: All of Iceland‘s major volcanoes showing unusually high levels of activity
Seismologists at the Icelandic Meteorological Office are still studying the data from the swarm. They do not seem to indicate imminent volcanic activity in Hekla. A geophysicist with the IMO who spoke with the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service RÚV said the epicenter of the earthquakes was in a well known and active fracture zone, where pressure from the drifting of the North American and European tectonic plates builds up.
The IMO is monitoring the situation and so are we at Iceland Insider.
A powerful 4.5 magnitude earthquake was detected in South Iceland shortly after noon today, Saturday. The first powerful quake was followed by an earthquake swarm, including a second powerful 3.3 magnitude earthquake. The tremors lasted for 10-15 seconds and were felt all over South Iceland.
Read more: All of Iceland‘s major volcanoes showing unusually high levels of activity
Seismologists at the Icelandic Meteorological Office are still studying the data from the swarm. They do not seem to indicate imminent volcanic activity in Hekla. A geophysicist with the IMO who spoke with the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service RÚV said the epicenter of the earthquakes was in a well known and active fracture zone, where pressure from the drifting of the North American and European tectonic plates builds up.
The IMO is monitoring the situation and so are we at Iceland Insider.
