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Katla volcano
subglacial volcano 1512 m / 4,961 ft
Southern Iceland, 63.63°N / -19.06°W
Katla volcano eruptions:
920 AD, 950 AD (?), 1150, 1177, 1245, 1262, 1311, 1357, 1416, 1440, 1450, 1500, 1580, 1612, 1625, 1660-61, 1721, 1755-56, 1823, 1860, 1918, 1955(?), 1999(?), 1918
Typical eruption style:
Explosive basaltic and dacitic eruptions, voluminous lava flows
Katla webcams / live data
Last earthquakes nearby
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  • Iceland activity

    The activity at Hengil is man made, they pump water down geothermal bore holes to generate steam to drive turbines, and other uses. The activity at Katla is ongoing and is a case of watch this space. The North American and Eurasian tectonic plates have been unusually active at Reykjanes ridege and Tjornes fracture zone - that is both to the North and South of Iceland - putting immense stresses on the land mass, plus the magma plume that lies below Iceland. It could go anywhere on the fault at any time - my attention is firmly on katla, however I am particularly worried that we may see multiple fracture zones open up at the same time due to the unusually high stresses cause by eruptions being 'overdue'.

Earthquake swarms near Katla and Henggil volcano on Iceland

Sunday Feb 05, 2012 20:40 PM | BY: T

Seismicity in Iceland during the past 2 days (Icelandic Met Office)
Seismicity in Iceland during the past 2 days (Icelandic Met Office)
Small seismic swarms have occurred near Katla volcano (S Iceland), Henggil volcano (SW Iceland) and a weaker swarm near Askja (N-Central Iceland) during the past 48 hours. The cause of the swarms is unclear and their intensity is not alarming. They are not necessarily volcanic, but could related to tectonic stress release around the main Icelandic rift zones.
Previous news
Friday, Oct 28, 2011
Signs of unrest beneath Katla, one of Iceland's most active volcanoes continue. A seismic swarm was recorded under the northern part of Katla volcano's caldera beneath the Mýrdalsjökull glacier in southern Iceland over the past 48 hours. 35 quakes of up to 3.2 magnitude, many at shallow depths, occrred mostly in the afternoon of 27 Oct. [more]
Tuesday, Sep 06, 2011
A mew seismic swarm is occurring at Katla volcano, with over 60 small earthquakes of magnitudes of up to 2.6 at 1-8 km depth beneath the caldera since Sunday. It could be a possibility that this swarm is caused by the injection of magma at depth, but could also be due to structural displacements. It is unclear whether the recent signs of unrest at Katla are the precursors of a new eruption in a near to medium future. [more]
Sunday, Jul 10, 2011
A small Small jokulhlaup (glacial flood) has occurred at Katla volcano early on 9 July, possibly due to a (minor phreatic?) eruption under the large icecap covering the volcano. [more]
Saturday, Jul 09, 2011
It is reported that there was a first subglacial eruption at Katla volcano resulting in a lahar. [more]
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