Swarm Earthquakes

October 31, 2023

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.