The Icelandic Met Office (IMO) registered a total of 258 earthquakes on or near Reykjanes Ridge in 48 hours to 20:15 UTC on December 30, 2024, with activity concentrated around Eldey and nearby locations.
Out of the total events, 104 earthquakes had a magnitude below 1. These smaller quakes often go unnoticed by residents but are critical in understanding the ongoing seismic processes in the region.
Another 137 earthquakes registered between magnitude 1 and 2, accounting for the majority of the seismic events.
Fifteen earthquakes were recorded with magnitudes ranging between 2 and 3, which are typically strong enough to be felt locally.
Two earthquakes exceeded magnitude 3, with the strongest quake of magnitude 3.6 occurring at 13:55 UTC on December 29, at a depth of 9.9 km (6.1 miles) and located 3.7 km (2.2 miles) north-northeast of Eldey.
The recent seismic activity is attributed to tectonic movements along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates diverge.
“They are moderately powerful, with two measuring above magnitude 3 and several others just below that, occurring both early this morning and later in the afternoon,” Böðvar Sveinsson, a natural hazard specialist at the IMO noted.
“This is likely due to tectonic plate movements, but so far, there are no signs of volcanic tremor,” Sveinsson added.
Image credit: IMOThe region is a part of the Reykjanes volcanic system and is known for frequent seismic and volcanic activity because of its location along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The system includes numerous postglacial basaltic crater rows and small shield volcanoes.
The Reykjanes volcanic system has a long history of eruptions with 20 confirmed Holocene eruptive periods. Historical records include events as recent as the 13th century with eruptions along NE-SW fissure systems forming new craters and lava flows. Submarine eruptions have also been observed occasionally forming ephemeral islands.
Major eruptions include the Campanian Ignimbrite eruption around 36 000 years ago and the Neapolitan Yellow Tuff eruption 15 000 years ago.
References:
1 Reykjanes Ridge – earthquakes during the last 48 hours – IMO – December 30, 2024
2 Powerful Earthquake Swarm At Reykjanes Ridge – The Reykjavik Grapevine – December 30, 2024
3 Reykjanes – GVP – Accessed on December 30, 2024
Rishika holds a Master’s in International Studies from Stella Maris College, Chennai, India, where she earned a gold medal, and an MCA from the University of Mysore, Karnataka, India. Previously, she served as a Research Assistant at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India. During her tenure, she contributed as a Junior Writer for Europe Monitor on the Global Politics website and as an Assistant Editor for The World This Week. Her work has also been published in The Hindu newspaper, showing her expertise in global affairs. Rishika is also a recipient of the Women Empowerment Award at the district level in Haryana, India, in 2022.