The seismic activity in the area around Eyjafjallajökull glacier in south Iceland, which covers an active volcano, increased again last night with a series of smaller earthquakes measured between 3:40 and 5:20 am. The largest quake was 2.6 on the Richter scale.
Eyjafjallajökull. Photo by Páll Stefánsson.
Geophysicist Sigurlaug Hjaltadóttir at the Icelandic Meteorological Office told ruv.is that the tremors last night were stronger than those measured yesterday morning. The series of quakes was similar in character and lasted for approximately one hour.
Magma flow seems to be at full speed inside the volcano and the series of earthquakes probably indicates a magma intrusion, Hjaltadóttir explained.
It is not known how volcanic eruptions begin in Eyjafjallajökull—it last erupted in 1821—and magma movements might continue for a few weeks.
The Civic Protection Department has not lifted the uncertainty stage, which was declared last week. The volcano will be monitored continuously.
Click here to read more about a potential eruption in Eyjafjallajökull.
