A sharp series of earthquakes began shortly before 3 am last night in the northern Katla caldera below Mýrdalsjökull glacier in south Iceland with the first quake measuring well over three points on the Richter scale, according to geophysicist Benedikt Ófeigsson who was called out to the Icelandic Meteorological Office.
Mýrdalsjökull. Photo by Geir Ólafsson.
Ófeigsson said a few other earthquakes measuring around three points on the Richter scale followed but activity then subsided, only to pick up again at 3:30 am and again at 5:30 am, but in both those instances the earthquakes were weaker than during the first series, visir.is reports.
Therefore, it was not considered necessary to alert the Civil Defense Department, Ófeigsson explained, although the events of the night will be reviewed there this morning.
The inhabitants of Vík in south Iceland have drilled evacuation procedures in case of an eruption in Katla, as a glacial outburst from Mýrdalsjökull might flood the town.
Click here to read more about the ongoing seismic activity in Katla.
ESA
