Volcano erupting in Iceland

The website https://www.erkomideldgos.is/ has been waiting to post “yes” to the question we’ve all been asking: is the volcano erupting? And finally, tonight, it tells us what we’ve all been waiting to hear.

At 9:45 pm tonight, the national news announced officially that the volcano on Reykjanes peninsula has begun erupting. After thousands of earthquakes since February 24th, dozens felt daily in Reykjavík, the show has finally begun on Fagradalsfjallið – slightly easier to read out loud than Eyjafjallajökull.

the volcano 75 hours later

Looks like we’ve got yet another reason to predict Iceland’s tourism to start booming again!

Earthquake city: 7 days of shakes in Reykjavík

Its been a week since I woke up to the first earthquake. I´ve felt an earthquake once before in Reykjavik, months ago, and that one was slightly bigger and lasted longer, so I didn´t panic. I stood up minutes later to do some yoga and eat breakfast, and felt another 2. They all lasted only a few seconds, around 4 or 5 on the richter scale, and somehow felt less scary each time.

the ducks on the pond usually fly away if the pond rattles

Now, a week later, they´ve become so regular that its normal to hear the glasses in the cupboard clink. You know its an earthquake, not a door slam or an airplane, because of the noise you hear in the earth – it growls when it trembles. But, a door slam or rattle from a big truck will still make you stop and think, ´was that another one?´

Yesterday, I felt four earthquakes in maybe 15 minutes. Then I sat under a roof of glass at Askja, in the University of Iceland, and started to feel a little stress. Sometimes I start to imagine there´s an earthquake, and I get confused if I shook the table or the table shook on its own. I can feel the ground vibrate through my yoga mat, but don´t always hear the tremble, and think I´m going crazy.

is this what frozen lakes look like during earthquake activity?

The earthquakes continue to happen this morning, dozens of them, small ones only minutes apart. Or I am just getting so used to them I´m not able to imagine them. Who knows anymore, but stay safe and stay aware neighbours 🙂