Significant Quakes Strike Iceland

VOLCANIC HAZARDS
SEISMIC HAZARDS
MAIN SCENARIOS 707, 017, 08, 07, 02
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Significant earthquakes strike near Bardarbunga volcano

At least 8 more earthquake measuring 4.0Mw or greater have occurred near Bardarbunga volcano in Iceland since Friday.

4 of the quakes measured 5.0Mw or greater, including three  shocks that registered 5.2Mw, according to the data provided by the Icelandic Met Office (IMO).

Meantime, IMO has issued the following warnings

• Warning: Fissure eruption continues in Holuhraun lava field, north of Vatnajökull (Vatna Glacier).
• Warning: Today (Sunday) volcanic gas emissions are expected to drift east and later to the northeast of the eruption site. Tomorrow (Monday) the pollution will affect areas to the north and northwest.

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For detailed earthquake forecasts tune into FIRE-EARTH Reports daily @ 06:32UTC.

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Related Links

• Significant Earthquake Strikes Bardarbunga System August 31, 2014
• Red Alert as Bardarbunga Volcano Erupts August 23, 2014
• Thousands of tremors recorded near Bárðarbunga volcano August 20, 2014
• Seismic activity – last 48 hours + 3D Map of the Tremors
• Bárðarbunga Webcam

 

Red Alert as Bardarbunga Volcano Erupts

MAJOR DISASTERS/ SIGNIFICANT EVENTS
VOLCANIC ERUPTION
RED ALERT (AVIATION)
BARDARBUNGA VOLCANO ERUPTING
SCENARIOS 023, 09, 08, 07
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Bardarbunga erupting subglacially

The Icelandic Met Office (IMO) has issued a red alert for aviation, warning that Bardarbunga volcano could spew significant ash emissions.

A small sub-glacial eruption is currently occurring at Bardarbunga, said the Met Office.

“Warning: It is believed that a small subglacial lava-eruption has begun under the Dyngjujökull glacier. The aviation color code for the Bárðarbunga volcano has been changed from orange to red.”

The red alert is Iceland’s highest warning level on their five-point scale.

On Wednesday, authorities evacuated hundreds of people from several areas  north of the volcano, fearing that the volcano could erupt and cause significant flooding and mudslides.

Bardarbunga, a part of a large volcanic system,  sits under up to 400 meters of ice, the Vatnajokull glacier, in central Iceland.

The following update is provided by IMO

23rd August 2014 14:10UTC –  small eruption Occurring beneath  Dyngjujökull

• A small lava-eruption has been detected under the Dyngjujökull glacier.
• An estimated 150-400 meters of ice covers the area.
• The aviation color code for the Bárðarbunga volcano has been changed from orange to red.
• At 14:04UTC, an earthquake measuring 4.5Mw occurred near the volcano.

Bardarbunga (Bárðarbunga Icelandic spelling), is a stratovolcano, located under the Vatnajökull glacier. It is the second highest mountain in Iceland, standing 2,010 meters a.s.l. The volcanic system that includes Bardarbunga is more than 200km long and 25km wide.

Vatnajökull

Vatnajökull (Glacier of Lakes), also known as the Vatna Glacier, is Iceland’s largest and most voluminous glacier, located in the south-east of the island. With an area of 13,600 km², Vatnajökull covers more than 8 percent of the country. It is also the largest ice cap in Europe by volume (3,100 km³).

Related Links

• Thousands of tremors recorded near Bárðarbunga volcano
• Seismic activity – last 48 hours + 3D Map of the Tremors
• Bárðarbunga Webcam