Eldey / Reykjanestá

Seismicity by period · derived statistics from Skjálftalísa (Icelandic Met Office)

Status (automatic)

No particular signs of unrest in the last 24 hours — 0 earthquakes recorded, within the system's normal range.

VONA (Eldey): Green (unchanged since 2023-07-11, no VONA notice issued) · source

Volcano is in normal, non-eruptive state.

VONA = Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation; the official Met Office colour code for aviation. Independent of Skjálfti's automatic analysis.

🕰️ Last eruption / event — ~101 years ago

Submarine eruption near Eldey (~1926) (1926-01-01). The system extends offshore southwest of Reykjanestá, with characteristic explosive submarine basaltic eruptions. About six small eruptions have occurred over roughly 1,100 years, the most recent around 1926, with others at Eldeyjarboði in 1830 and near Geirfuglasker in 1879.

Submarine section of the Reykjanes volcanic belt, extending ~10 km SW from Reykjanestá along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The Eldey skerry (a tuya) sits on the fissure system. Frequent earthquake swarms in 2022–2023 (>480 quakes in one swarm). Historical submarine eruptions (last 1879). (overview — more at vedur.is) · circle on the map = rough outline of the system (radius).

📜 Did you know?

Eldey is a rocky island about 14 km southwest of Reykjanestá and hosts one of the world's largest northern-gannet colonies (around 16,000 pairs). It was here that the last known great auks were killed on 3 June 1844. The system extends offshore with explosive submarine basaltic eruptions; the island of Nýey formed in one such eruption in 1783 but soon vanished back into the sea.

❓ What if Eldey stirs (submarine eruption)?

Likely scenario: Dense earthquake swarms (M2-4) along the fissure system, as in 2022-2023. Larger events (M5+) possible. Submarine eruption: Likely visible only as steam plumes or boiling at the surface — no lava risk on land (system is 10+ km offshore). Island formation possible if eruption lasts (cf. Eldey 1783-84). Marine impact: Local temperature change in the sea; no tsunami risk unless a massive earthquake (M7+) occurs concurrently. Aviation: Keflavík airport not at risk unless an ash cloud exceeds 5 km altitude (unlikely on deep seafloor). Sources: Reykjaneshryggur 1783 (Eldey island formation), 2022-2023 swarm.

This is not a forecast. Based on historical experience and official hazard assessments from the Met Office / Civil Protection.

Depth is automatic and uncertain; earthquakes alone do not show magma movement — deformation (GPS) and gas are needed. Grey points: automatic fixed-depth values. b-value computed for M≥1.5 (automatic magnitudes make lower completeness unreliable). Preliminary data.

Glossary & magnitude scale →

Earthquakes in the system

Time (UTC)	Mag	Depth (km)	Area
2026-09-09 21:26	M1.8	13.6	Other areas
2026-09-09 20:00	M1.5	11.0	Other areas
2026-09-09 16:43	M0.9	8.2	Reykjanesskagi
2026-09-09 12:31	M0.7	10.7	Reykjanesskagi
2026-09-09 08:11	M1.0	9.8	Reykjanesskagi
2026-09-09 04:30	M1.2	9.8	Reykjanesskagi
2026-09-09 04:25	M0.7	8.1	Reykjanesskagi
2026-09-08 22:41	M0.0	0.0	Reykjanesskagi
2026-09-08 22:31	M0.6	8.0	Reykjanesskagi
2026-09-08 19:01	M-0.5	0.0	Reykjanesskagi
2026-09-08 09:59	M0.7	7.5	Reykjanesskagi
2026-09-08 09:41	M0.4	7.4	Reykjanesskagi
2026-09-08 03:27	M-0.1	5.5	Reykjanesskagi
2026-09-08 02:36	M0.3	5.7	Reykjanesskagi
2026-09-08 02:33	M0.6	5.9	Reykjanesskagi
2026-09-08 00:53	M1.0	7.5	Reykjanesskagi
2026-09-08 00:53	M1.2	10.0	Reykjanesskagi
2026-09-07 15:19	M0.6	0.1	Reykjanesskagi
2026-09-06 13:03	M0.7	6.6	Reykjanesskagi
2026-09-06 04:39	M0.9	14.4	Other areas
2026-09-05 11:11	M0.7	0.5	Other areas
2026-09-05 11:04	M0.2	8.1	Other areas
2026-09-05 09:20	M1.1	7.5	Reykjanesskagi
2026-09-05 09:13	M0.8	7.8	Reykjanesskagi
2026-09-05 08:18	M0.2	4.8	Reykjanesskagi
2026-09-05 08:18	M0.3	5.0	Reykjanesskagi
2026-09-05 01:08	M0.4	10.0	Reykjanesskagi
2026-09-04 08:19	M0.2	5.4	Reykjanesskagi
2026-09-04 08:13	M0.2	6.5	Reykjanesskagi
2026-09-04 04:03	M0.2	6.4	Reykjanesskagi
2026-09-03 08:54	M1.3	10.0	Other areas
2026-09-03 06:39	M1.5	8.7	Other areas
2026-09-03 05:48	M0.9	7.7	Other areas
2026-09-02 19:41	M1.4	10.0	Other areas
2026-09-02 06:24	M-0.1	5.5	Reykjanesskagi
2026-09-01 19:33	M0.3	30.9	Reykjanesskagi
2026-09-01 15:07	M0.6	7.8	Reykjanesskagi
2026-09-01 13:31	M0.4	6.7	Reykjanesskagi
2026-09-01 11:57	M1.2	10.0	Other areas
2026-09-01 10:02	M0.7	6.8	Reykjanesskagi
2026-09-01 06:02	M-0.2	0.0	Reykjanesskagi
2026-09-01 01:48	M-0.3	0.2	Reykjanesskagi
2026-08-31 23:47	M0.3	5.9	Reykjanesskagi
2026-08-31 22:03	M0.7	7.2	Reykjanesskagi
2026-08-31 18:18	M1.4	6.2	Other areas
2026-08-31 18:17	M1.3	11.0	Other areas
2026-08-31 14:33	M0.6	8.7	Reykjanesskagi
2026-08-31 12:40	M0.2	5.0	Reykjanesskagi
2026-08-31 04:23	M1.0	6.1	Reykjanesskagi
2026-08-31 00:31	M0.7	6.3	Reykjanesskagi
2026-08-30 19:32	M0.8	9.4	Reykjanesskagi
2026-08-30 14:55	M0.2	6.0	Reykjanesskagi
2026-08-30 14:36	M0.9	7.6	Reykjanesskagi
2026-08-30 14:26	M0.4	6.0	Reykjanesskagi
2026-08-30 14:18	M0.8	6.4	Reykjanesskagi
2026-08-30 14:18	M1.5	6.5	Reykjanesskagi
2026-08-30 14:06	M0.6	4.5	Reykjanesskagi
2026-08-30 14:05	M0.6	6.8	Reykjanesskagi
2026-08-30 13:45	M-0.0	9.0	Reykjanesskagi
2026-08-30 13:37	M0.6	7.4	Reykjanesskagi

System journal

Automatic snapshots and media coverage, in chronological order. Subscribe: RSS · ntfy skjalftar-eldey-reykjanesta

2026-09-09 21:30:01 UTC

In the last 24 hours, 9 earthquakes were measured at Eldey/Reykjanestá, while the weekly average is 5 earthquakes per day and the monthly average is 17 earthquakes per day. Activity is therefore increasing, with the last 24 hours well above the weekly rate. The largest earthquake in the last 48 hours was M1.5 and the cumulative magnitude was Mw 1.8. Seismic activity is within what is normal for this area, which is the marine part of the Reykjanes volcanic belt, and is now more diffuse background activity than swarms. These results are automatic preliminary results.

2026-08-31 08:20:05 UTC

In the last 24 hours, 46 earthquakes were recorded in the Eldey-Reykjanestá system, indicating activity similar to the past week but higher than usual for this area. The largest event was M2.6 with a cumulative moment of Mw 2.9 over the last 48 hours, and the b-value is 1.05 +/- 0.07. The activity is characterized by distributed background seismicity rather than swarms and most closely resembles the period around February 14, 2026. These results are automatic preliminary findings, and further details are available below.

2026-08-30 13:10:04 UTC

In the last 24 hours, 33 earthquakes were recorded in the Eldey-Reykjanestá system, indicating activity similar to the past week and within normal levels for this area. The increase is primarily due to short-lived swarms rather than distributed background activity, with the largest event at magnitude M2.6 and a cumulative moment of Mw 2.9. These automatic preliminary results most closely resemble the period around April 8, 2025, and further details on trends and maps are available below.

2026-08-27 01:50:06 UTC

In the last 24 hours, 10 earthquakes were recorded in the Eldey-Reykjanestá system, which is below the weekly average and indicates that activity is decreasing. This frequency is within normal levels for the area, and recent increases have consisted mostly of short-lived swarms rather than distributed background activity. The largest earthquake in the past 48 hours was magnitude M3.6, with a cumulative moment magnitude of Mw 3.9 according to automatic preliminary results. Activity most closely resembles the period around April 8, 2025, and further details on trends are available below.

2026-08-27 00:30:08 UTC

In the last 24 hours, 11 earthquakes were recorded in the Eldey-Reykjanestá system, which is below the weekly average and indicates that activity is decreasing. Seismicity remains within normal levels for this area, with recent increases consisting mostly of short-lived swarms rather than distributed background activity. The largest earthquake in the past 48 hours was M3.6, with a cumulative moment magnitude of Mw 3.9 based on automatic preliminary results. Current activity most closely resembles the period around April 8, 2025, and further charts and maps are available below.

2026-08-27 00:25:06 UTC

In the last 24 hours, 12 earthquakes were recorded in the Eldey-Reykjanestá system, which is below the weekly average and indicates that activity is decreasing. This frequency is considered normal for the area, and the recent increase is mostly due to short-lived swarms rather than distributed background activity. The largest earthquake in the last 48 hours was Mw 3.9 with the same cumulative magnitude for the period, though results are automatic preliminary results. Activity most closely resembles the period around April 8, 2025, and further details on trends can be found lower on the page.

2026-08-26 23:55:07 UTC

In the last 24 hours, 14 earthquakes were recorded in the Eldey-Reykjanestá system, which is below the weekly average and indicates that activity is decreasing. This frequency is within normal levels for the area, and the recent increase has consisted mostly of short-lived swarms rather than distributed background activity. The largest earthquake in the past 48 hours was magnitude M3.6, with a cumulative moment magnitude of Mw 3.9 for the period. Results are automatic preliminary results, and further details on trends can be found lower on the page.

2026-08-26 19:30:08 UTC

In the last 24 hours, 25 earthquakes were recorded in the Eldey-Reykjanestá system, which is below the weekly average and indicates that activity is decreasing. This frequency is within normal levels for the area, and the recent increase has consisted mostly of short-lived swarms rather than distributed background activity. The largest earthquake in the last 48 hours was magnitude M3.6, with a cumulative moment magnitude of Mw 3.9 according to automatic preliminary results. Activity most closely resembles the period around April 8, 2025, and further details on trends are available below.

2026-08-25 07:10:08 UTC

In the last 24 hours, 163 earthquakes were recorded in the Eldey-Reykjanestá system, representing an increase above the usual rate driven mostly by short-lived swarms. The largest event was M3.6 with a cumulative magnitude of Mw 3.9 over the past 48 hours, and activity most closely resembles the period around February 14, 2026. These automatic preliminary results indicate higher-than-normal activity for this area, while further details on trends are available below.

2026-08-25 07:00:00 UTC · in the media

Jarðskjálftahrina á Reykjaneshrygg: Sá stærsti 4,1 — mbl

2026-08-25 05:55:27 UTC · in the media

Nokkrir snarpir jarðskjálftar í hrinu út af Reykjanesi — RÚV

2026-08-25 04:00:06 UTC

In the last 24 hours, 138 earthquakes were recorded in the Eldey-Reykjanestá system, representing an increase compared to the weekly average and higher activity than usual for this area. The activity is characterized by distributed background seismicity rather than swarms and resembles the period around February 15, 2026, though these are automatic preliminary results. The cumulative magnitude over the last 48 hours was Mw 3.4 and the b-value was measured at 1.29. Further details on trends and maps are available below.

2026-08-24 09:00:06 UTC

In the last 24 hours, 98 earthquakes were recorded in the Eldey-Reykjanestá system, representing an increase above the weekly average and higher activity than usual for this area. The activity is characterized by distributed background seismicity rather than swarms and most closely resembles the period around June 23, 2026, though these are automatic preliminary results. The cumulative magnitude over the past 48 hours was Mw 3.3, with the largest event at M3.0. Further details on trends and land deformation are available below.

2026-08-24 07:10:00 UTC · in the media

Um 50 skjálftar í hrinu á Reykjanestá — mbl

2026-08-24 06:23:10 UTC · in the media

Jarðskjálftahrina við Reykjanestá — RÚV

2026-08-24 05:15:04 UTC

In the last 24 hours, 29 earthquakes were recorded in the Eldey-Reykjanestá system, representing an increase compared to the weekly average, though activity remains within normal levels for this area. Seismicity is characterized by distributed background activity rather than swarms and resembles the period around June 1, 2026; these are automatic preliminary results. The largest event was Mw 2.6, and significant horizontal displacement of 3.41 km/day has been measured over the past week. Further details on trends and maps are available below.

Repeated × 2 since 2026-08-19 02:05:05 — last 2026-08-19 06:45:05

In the last 24 hours, 27 earthquakes were recorded in the Eldey-Reykjanestá system, indicating activity similar to the past week but higher than usual for this area. The activity is characterized by distributed background seismicity rather than swarms and resembles the period around June 1, 2025, though results are automatic preliminary results. The cumulative moment over the last 48 hours was Mw 2.6 and the b-value was measured at 1.35 +/- 0.17. Further details on trends and ground deformation can be found below.

2026-08-13 15:15:05 UTC

Over the last 24 hours, 33 earthquakes were detected in the Eldey volcanic system, which is the submarine part of the Reykjanes volcanic belt, indicating that activity is increasing as the last 24 hours are well above the weekly average of 15 earthquakes per day. This seismic activity is, however, within what is considered normal for this area and consists mostly of scattered background activity rather than swarms, with the largest earthquake in the last 48 hours measuring magnitude 2.7 and the cumulative moment magnitude for the period being 2.9. The current activity most closely resembles the period around April 27, 2026, when 102 earthquakes were detected, although it must be noted that these are automatic preliminary results where depth is unreliable. Maps and further details on the development can be found below.

2026-08-13 02:35:05 UTC

Over the last 24 hours, 7 earthquakes were detected in the Eldey volcanic system, which is the submarine part of the Reykjanes volcanic zone, and the seismic activity is within what is considered normal for this area. The activity is similar to the past week and is characterized by scattered background activity rather than swarms, with the largest earthquake in the last 48 hours measuring magnitude 3.1 and the cumulative magnitude being 3.2. This activity most closely resembles the period around March 26, 2026, although it should be noted that these are automatic preliminary results with unreliable depth measurements. Further details and maps of the area are available below.

2026-08-13 00:00:07 UTC

Over the past 24 hours, 6 earthquakes were detected in the Eldey and Reykjanestá volcanic system, which is the submarine part of the Reykjanes volcanic zone, and this seismic activity is within what is considered normal for this area. The activity is similar to the past week and is characterized by scattered background activity rather than swarms, with 66% of events over the last seven days being independent background events and 34% related to swarms or aftershocks. The largest earthquake in the last 48 hours was magnitude 3.1 (M3.1) and the cumulative seismic moment during that period was 3.2 (Mw 3.2), while measurements also show a significant horizontal migration of earthquake epicenters to the southwest at 3.88 kilometers per day. This activity most closely resembles the period around March 26, 2026, when 72 earthquakes were recorded, although it should be noted that these are automatic preliminary results where depth is unreliable. Maps and

2026-08-12 18:55:06 UTC

Over the last 24 hours, seismic activity in the Eldey and Reykjanestá volcanic system, which is the submarine part of the Reykjanes volcanic belt, has decreased and is currently within normal limits for this area. A total of 3 earthquakes were detected during the last 24 hours, with the largest event of the last 48 hours measuring magnitude 3.1, and the cumulative moment magnitude for that period was 3.2. The activity is currently characterized by scattered background activity rather than swarms, with measurements showing a significant horizontal drift of earthquake epicenters to the southwest at 4.82 kilometers per day. This development most closely resembles the period around March 26, 2026, though it must be noted that these are automatic preliminary results where depth is unreliable.

2026-08-12 13:40:05 UTC

Over the last 24 hours, seismic activity in the Eldey and Reykjanestá volcanic system, which is the submarine part of the Reykjanes volcanic belt, has decreased with only 2 earthquakes detected, falling below the weekly average. This activity is considered normal for this area and is characterized by diffuse background activity rather than swarms, though the largest earthquake in the last 48 hours was magnitude 3.1, with a cumulative moment magnitude of 3.2 during that period. Earthquake epicenters show a significant horizontal drift to the southwest at 5.19 kilometers per day, and the development most closely resembles the period around March 26, 2026. These results are automatic preliminary findings where depth is unreliable, but further details and maps of the area are available below.

2026-08-12 11:20:03 UTC

Over the last 24 hours, 6 earthquakes were detected in the Eldey volcanic system, which is the submarine part of the Reykjanes volcanic belt southwest of Reykjanestá, with activity remaining similar to the past week and within what is considered normal for this area. This represents scattered background activity rather than swarms, as 63% of the events over the last seven days were independent, with the largest earthquake in the last 48 hours measuring magnitude 3.1 and the cumulative moment magnitude for that period being 3.2 Mw. The current activity most closely resembles the period around March 24, 2026, when 63 earthquakes were recorded, though it should be noted that these are automatic preliminary results where depth is unreliable. Maps and further details on the earthquake development can be found lower on the page.

What do the numbers mean — and what should I do?

β (swarm signal): how high activity is versus the area's 2-year average. β above 2 means an ongoing swarm. It measures activity, not a forecast of a large quake.

Cumulative moment (Mw): the combined energy of the quakes in the period. Uplift (GNSS): whether the ground is rising or sinking, mm per year — the data are a few weeks old. Some systems (e.g. Svartsengi) deform in steps during eruption cycles rather than at a steady annual rate.

Swarm character is computed for a whole volcanic belt, not a single system — it describes the belt, not necessarily this one system.

What should I do? This is automatic monitoring for information — not an official warning. Follow official information from the Icelandic Met Office and Civil Protection (112).

Eldey / Reykjanestá

Earthquakes over time

Cumulative count and moment

Magnitude distribution

Earthquakes over time

Cumulative count and moment

Magnitude distribution

Earthquakes over time

Cumulative count and moment

Magnitude distribution

Earthquakes over time

Cumulative count and moment

Magnitude distribution

Earthquakes in the system

System journal