Chances of volcanic eruption have been increasing with the Iceland earthquake. This has led to the temporary shutting down of Blue Lagoon, a very popular tourist area.
There is a great chance for Iceland’s volcanoes to erupt, which has raised concerns among the authorities in relation to the safety of both locals and tourists.
The Blue Lagoon, likewise, will remain closed till 9 December 2023. While there has been a fairly controlled seismic activity, Met Office suggests that the threat is not over.
“The process, which began on 25 October with a significant seismic swarm and peaked on 10 November with the formation of a 15 km long magmatic dike, is not over. With certainty, it can be stated that a phase has started where a similar sequence of events might repeat in time.”
The latest Iceland earthquake eruption has been that of a magnitude of 2.8, which occurred near Hagafell, 3.5 km NNE of Grindavík, within the past 24 hours as of 7th December 2023.
One of the major questions that arose with the increasing chances of earthquakes was whether Iceland’s volcanoes are still erupting. The earthquakes in Iceland are a sheer sign of the increasing eruption probability of the volcanoes.
The wait for the Iceland earthquake eruption has been long and hard as for now. There have been a recorded of more than 180 earthquakes in Iceland in only 48 hours, as per the reports of Met Office. The earthquakes were all near the coastal town of Grindavik.
Grindavik has been the victim of thousands of Icelandic earthquakes since October. Cracks have started to emerge in the ground of the town. The residents in Grindavik have been evacuated, and the number of the protected people numbers to around 4,000.
Iceland Earthquake Eruption December 2023
A major concern for the authorities in Iceland has been the Iceland earthquake eruption, which is probable due to it’s close proximity to the town of Grindavik, where the major tectonic activities have been taking place for almost two months now.
Evidence suggests that there is a magma inflow that is close to leading to an eruption. Besides this, Iceland is known for the highest number of volcanic eruptions. Apart from 2023, the last known major volcanic eruption was back in the year 2010 which dates to almost more than a decade back. The earthquakes have ranged from 0.7 magnitude to 2.4 magnitude at the highest.
“Magma still building under Svartsgeni power plant” – Met Office
The ground near a power plant has been swelling due to the floods of magma in the chamber beneath. According to the officials of Met Office, the inflow of magma tunnel that has been estimated to have been formed on November 10 has stopped(probably).
There are also suggestions that the chances of an Iceland earthquake eruption through the magma tunnel on the Reykjanes Peninsula have also fairly decreased.
As per Met Office, “However, magma accumulation continues under Svartsengi. This upheaval at Svartsengi, which began in October, is not over, but it can be said that a new chapter is beginning with an increased probability of a new magma run. As mentioned before, the magma tunnel that lies under Grindavík was formed when magma escaped from the magma intrusion at Svartsengi. That sequence of events is likely to repeat itself.”
£30 Million Worth Of Iceland Earthquake
The earthquake that struck a whole decade later has already cost Iceland £30 million. The earthquakes in the Reykjanes Peninsula cost the aforementioned amount wholly, while £ 11.5 million has been estimated to be aided by the support of the workers in Grindavik.
£ 15 million is likely to be used to build a power wall or a defense wall at the power plant in Svartsengi. The house owners will be paid a special fee for the coming three years with respect to the continuation of this project.
Professor Þorvaldur Þórðarson raises doubts about another chance of a massive earthquake
As per the suggestions of Professor of Volcanology, Þorvaldur Þórðarson, of the University of Iceland, there is a doubt whether another earthquake like that of November 10 will ever erupt again.
He says,
“It could then lead to an eruption or magma intrusion at an even lower depth, and there would be some earthquakes with that, but I think it’s unlikely that it will be directly under Grindavík. “
Earthquake in Iceland today
The last recorded earthquake as of 7 December 2023, 2 hours and 26 minutes ago, suggests an earthquake of magnitude 2. 4, 50.3 Km SSW of Fontur. Likewise, the strongest earthquake in 2023 in Iceland was that of 5.2 magnitude, 1.6 Km E of Keilir on July 9, 2023.
The strongest earthquake today is that of 3.1 magnitude, 4.5 Km NE of Bárðarbunga.
In the past month, the strongest earthquake in Iceland is that of 5.0 magnitude in 1.0 Km NE of Grindavík. And, in the past week, 3.1 magnitude, 4.5 Km NE of Bárðarbunga.
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