Iceland Volcano: Land Rise Continues Near Svartsengi -- Iceland Met Office

Lava flows from a fissure near Grindavik, Iceland, on Jan. 14, 2024. Iceland Department of Civil Protection

High risk remains within Grindavík

Updated 18 January 15:30 UTC

As reported in the news yesterday, clear signs of land rise persist beneath Svartsengi, but it is still too early to determine the rate of the uplift due to the recent volcanic activity in the area. GNSS measurements are being evaluated to provide a comprehensive assessment of the situation. However, it appears that the deformation remains similar to that observed after the volcanic eruption on December 18.

Around 200 earthquakes have been recorded near the magma conduit since yesterday, with the largest measuring 1.4 in magnitude. Since midnight, approximately 70 small earthquakes have occurred, which is fewer than measured the day before. The weather has impacted the number of earthquakes detected in recent days, but the number of earthquakes seems to have decreased overall.

A significant risk remains in Grindavík due to fissures and the potential for ground collapse into them.

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