• A seismic swarm has hit the Reykjanes peninsula in southwest Iceland with more than 5,500 small earthquakes recently, raising the prospect of a volcanic eruption, the country’s meteorological office (IMO) reported.

Earthquakes with a magnitude above 2.5 can often be felt by humans, according to the Michigan Technological University.

• The quakes originated at a depth of up to 5 km and were caused by a long-term accumulation of magma that has been building pressure and is now slowly drifting towards the surface of the earth.
• Located between the Eurasian and the North American tectonic plates, among the largest on the planet, Iceland is a seismic and volcanic hot spot as the two plates move in opposite directions.

ABOUT EARTHQUAKE SWARM

• It is a series of many low magnitude earthquakes without a noticeable main shock.
• These are observed in volcanic environments, hydrothermal systems, and other active geothermal areas.
• It occurs when the piled up seismic energy inside the earth is released in small amounts from certain points.
  • Seismic energy is related to the movement of fluid gases and liquids in the Earth’s crust.
• It may range from days, weeks to even months.
  • For e.g. Earthquake swarm in Palghar district of Maharashtra has occurred over the period from 2018 to 2019, with around 30 low-intensity earthquakes.