Quake rocks Reykjavik, raises Iceland’s volcano activity

REYKJAVIK — A powerful earthquake on Wednesday rocked southwestern Iceland, including the capital Reykjavik, triggering increased volcanic activity but causing no serious injuries or damage, authorities said.

The epicenter of the quake was located near Mount Keilir, a small mountain of 378 metres (1,240 feet) on the Reykjanes peninsula, some 30 kilometers (19 miles) south of Reykjavik, authorities added.

The US Geological Survey measured one tremor at a magnitude of 5.6 some four kilometers east of the fishing port of Grindavik.

The Icelandic authorities meanwhile recorded a 5.7 magnitude tremor at 1005 GMT.

Numerous tremors were felt after the quake, including 12 which registered above 4.0, and were continuing at midday, according to AFP’s correspondent in the capital.

“It’s an intense activity zone, we are well aware of that, but I’ve never experienced or felt so many strong earthquakes in such a short period of time (in Reykjavik), it’s unusual,” Kristin Jonsdottir, earthquake hazards coordinator at Iceland’s Meteorological Office (IMO), told public broadcaster RUV.

The IMO switched from green to yellow the color code for the aviation sector over the Krysuvik volcano system where the quake occurred, indicating that the “volcano is experiencing signs of elevated unrest above known background levels”.

There were however no signs of a volcanic eruption yet.

The last eruption in this volcanic system was in the 12th century.

The Reykjanes peninsula, located on a tectonic fault, has been rocked by numerous earthquakes for more than a year.

The most recent large one occurred in October, measuring 5.6.