Svartsengi Volcano

Updated: Sep 17, 2025 20:52 GMT - refresh

Crater rows

Reykjanes peninsula, SW Iceland, 63.87°N / -22.42°W

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Summit height: 230 m / 755 ft

Current status: erupting (4 out of 5)

Last update: 6 Aug 2025 (Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report)

Activity Updates

Svartsengi volcano on the Reykjanes peninsula is one of several major volcanic fissure systems that align along the axis of the Reykjanes Peninsula in SW Iceland. They form the southwestern rift zone where the mid-Atlantic Ridge emerges over water. Over the past 4,000 years, volcanic activity in this area appears to have been occurring during periods with intense and frequent eruptions alternating with repose intervals of several centuries.
After about 800 years of repose, a new period of activity on the peninsula started in 2021. 3 eruptions occurred from the neighboring Fagradalsfjall volcano in 2021-2023, followed by a series of so far 7 new fissure eruptions from the Svartsengi volcano since December 2023.

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Typical eruption style: effusive (lava flows)
Svartsengi volcano eruptions: 1211, 1226, 2023 (Dec), 2024 (Jan), 2024 (Feb), 2024 (Mar), 2024 (May-June), 2024 (Aug-Sep), 2024 (Nov-Dec), 2025 (April 1-2)

Latest nearby earthquakes

Date and Time	Mag / Depth	Distance / Location
Sep 17, 03:14 pm (Reykjavik)	0.3 4.6 km	19 km (12 mi) to the E	Iceland: 3.3 km NNE of Krýsuvík	Info
Sep 17, 03:06 pm (Universal Time)	1.0 2.6 km	16 km (9.9 mi) to the W	3.8 km NNW of Reykjanestá	Info
Sep 17, 03:05 pm (Reykjavik)	0.1 4.5 km	20 km (12 mi) to the E	Iceland: 3.9 km NNE of Krýsuvík	Info
Sep 17, 02:02 pm (Reykjavik)	0.3 5 km	19 km (12 mi) to the E	Iceland: 2.2 km NE of Krýsuvík	Info
Sep 17, 01:02 pm (Reykjavik)	0.1 4.6 km	21 km (13 mi) to the E	Iceland: 4.1 km NE of Krýsuvík	Info
Sep 17, 12:45 pm (Reykjavik)	0.5 5.3 km	20 km (12 mi) to the E	Iceland: 3.6 km NNE of Krýsuvík	Info
Sep 17, 12:21 pm (Reykjavik)	0.5 4.1 km	18 km (11 mi) to the E	Iceland: 2.3 km NNE of Krýsuvík	Info
Tuesday, September 16, 2025 GMT (1 quake)
Sep 16, 11:44 am (Universal Time)	2.3 7.5 km	20 km (13 mi) to the W	5.0 km W of Reykjanestá	Info
Saturday, September 13, 2025 GMT (2 quakes)
Sep 13, 01:01 pm (Universal Time)	2.6 6.3 km	22 km (14 mi) to the E	5.8 km NE of Krýsuvík I FELT IT	Info

View recent quakes

Significant volcanic eruptions: Svartsengi volcano

In the past 10,000 years, Svartsengi has had at least 20 confirmed volcanic eruptions, out of which 12 are documented by historical records, while the others can be inferred from geological evidence.
Additionally, there are 3 uncertain or discredited eruptions from Svartsengi volcano.

The table below lists all known eruptions (date in bold face) of Svartsengi volcano since around 1000 AD. Updates on the most recent volcanic activity of Svartsengi can be found on the news page of Svartsengi volcano.

Date	Note	VEI	Deaths	Damage
2023 Dec 18 - ongoing	Sundhnúkagígar, Svartsengi fissure swarm Historical obs./docs.	1			Info
First episode of 7 fissure eruptions during Dec 2023-24. Followed intense earthquake swarm since 10 Nov, lasted 18-21 Dec 2023. Lava reached outskirts of Gríndavik town, which had been evacuated.
2025 Jul 16 - ongoing (eruption 2023 Dec 18 - ongoing)	Sundhnúkagígar, Svartsengi fissure swarm	1			Info
9th eruption in the series of fissure eruptions since Dec 2023 started early 1 April 2025.
2025 Apr 1 - Apr 2 (eruption 2023 Dec 18 - ongoing)	Sundhnúkagígar, Svartsengi fissure swarm	1			Info
8th eruption in the series of fissure eruptions since Dec 2023 started early 1 April 2025.
2024 Nov 20 - Dec 8 (eruption 2023 Dec 18 - ongoing)	Sundhnúkagígar, Svartsengi fissure swarm	1
2024 Aug 22 - Sep 6 (eruption 2023 Dec 18 - ongoing)	Sundhnúkagígar, Svartsengi fissure swarm	1
2024 May 29 - Jun 20 (eruption 2023 Dec 18 - ongoing)	Sundhnúkagígar, Svartsengi fissure swarm	1
2024 Mar 16 - May 8 (eruption 2023 Dec 18 - ongoing)	Sundhnúkagígar, Svartsengi fissure swarm	1
2024 Feb 8 - Feb 9 (eruption 2023 Dec 18 - ongoing)	Sundhnúkagígar, Svartsengi fissure swarm	1
2024 Jan 14 - Jan 15 (eruption 2023 Dec 18 - ongoing)	Sundhnúkagígar, Svartsengi fissure swarm	1			Info
Second event of the 2023-24 fissure eruption series. Eruption lasted less than 2 days.
2023 Dec 18 - Dec 21 (eruption 2023 Dec 18 - ongoing)	Sundhnúkagígar, Svartsengi fissure swarm	1			Info
First episode of 7 fissure eruptions during Dec 2023-24. Followed intense earthquake swarm since 10 Nov, lasted 18-21 Dec 2023. Lava reached outskirts of Gríndavik town, which had been evacuated.
2023 Dec 18 (eruption 2023 Dec 18 - ongoing)	Historical obs./docs.	0	1	moderate	Info
2023 Dec 18: Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) reported that a seismic swarm began near the older Sundhnukagigar crater row on the Reykjanes peninsula around 0230 on 14 January. A fissure eruption began at around 0757 just N of Grindavík, SE of Hagafell. Lava covered part of Grindavikurvegur road and overtopped a small area of the berm at the road, flowing south. A shorter second fissure opened at 1210 on 14 January to the SW of the first, about 200 m from the Efrahopi neighborhood in Grindavík. Lava flows traveled south, entering the town and setting at least three houses on fire. A man working on filling cracks in Grindavík fell into one of the cracks on 10 January and was unable to be located. Hundreds of rescue workers searched for the man but due to unsafe conditions and landslides occurring inside the crack the search was stopped on 12 January. (reference #13710) January 15, 2024: A new lava eruption started on 14 January at 7:57 UTC, and the fissure opening was located southeast of Hagafell Mountain. The southernmost part of the fissureis about 900 m from the town of Grindavik. Lava flow towards the town is ongoing and at 12.10 UTC on 14 January, a new lava fissure opened, and the lava flow affected the northern part of Grindavik. Gas pollution from the eruption is spreading south and southwest. According to media reports, all the people living in the town of Grindavik have been evacuated for the second time - they were allowed to return to their homes on 22 December following the eruption of 18 December. In addition, some houses in the town have been burned by the lava flow as well as road 43 which connects the city with the airport and Reykjavik. In addition, the wall defenses built after the eruption in December have partially contained the lava, but some have been breached. (reference #13714) December 18, 2023: At 22:17 UTC, a 4 km long volcanic fissure started erupting lava. The fissure is located in correspondence of the dyke intrusion that formed in November almost 3 km from Grindavík Town (Reykjanes Peninsula, south-western Iceland). (reference #13713) November 30, 2023: As of 28 November, the Icelandic Civil Protection reports that the building of a defense wall around Svartsengi power plant is ongoing and 3,700 people are still evacuated from Grindavik. Moreover, electricity, drinking water networks, several houses and roads have been damaged. (reference #13712) November 14, 2023: According to national authorities, at least 3,700 people living in Grindavík Towns have been preventively evacuated, boats are being evacuated from the harbour, several roads have been damaged (by earthquakes) as well as several water and power infrastructures and sewage. (reference #13711) October 25, 2023: An intense earthquake swarm started near Svartsengi, north of Grindavik. (reference #13711) Cited references #13710 Global Volcanism Program (2024): Report on Reykjanes (Iceland) (Sennert, S, ed.). Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 10 January-16 January 2024. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey. Link #13711 Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) (2023): ECHO Daily Flash, Iceland - Volcanic Unrest, Update. Published 14 November 2023. Link #13712 Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) (2023): ECHO Daily Flash, Iceland - Volcanic Unrest, Update. Published 30 November 2023. Link #13713 Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) (2023): ECHO Daily Flash, Iceland - Volcanic Eruption. Published 19 December 2023. Link #13714 Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) (2024): ECHO Daily Flash, Iceland - Volcanic Activity. Published 15 January 2024. Link #13715 Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) (2024): Uplift at Svartsengi continues. Accessed 22 January 2024. Link Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
?? 1970 ?	Uncertain Eruption	?
?? 1966 Jul 2 ±182 d.	Uncertain Eruption	?
1830 Mar 13 ? - 1831 Mar	Reykjaneshryggur (Eldeyjarbodi) Historical obs./docs.	3
1783 May 1 or before - Aug 15 ±60 d.	Reykjaneshryggur (Nyey) Historical obs./docs.	3
1661 AD Dec	Discredited Eruption
1583 AD Jul 15 ±45 d.	Reykjaneshryggur (near Eldeyjar Islands) Historical obs./docs.	2?
1240 AD	Reykjaneshryggur, Arnarsetur, Illahraun Historical obs./docs.	1
1238 AD	Reykjaneshryggur Historical obs./docs.	?
1231 AD	Reykjaneshryggur Historical obs./docs.	3
1226 AD Jul 15 ±45 d. - 1227 ?	Reykjaneshryggur Historical obs./docs.	4
1223 AD	Reykjaneshryggur Historical obs./docs.	3
1211 AD	Stampar, Karlsgigur Historical obs./docs.	?
1210 AD	Vatnsfellsgigur Historical obs./docs.	3?
1179 or before AD	Reykjaneshryggur Historical obs./docs.	2

Remark:

Our list of volcanic eruptions closely follows the database of eruptions of the Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Project (GVP), the internationally most recognized data source for volcanic eruptions, but also includes significant eruptive episodes or related volcano events. "Volcanic eruptions" are usually to be understood as sequences of individual eruptive episodes that can follow each other, or even overlap (if several vents are involved), and can last many years, decades or even longer. For example, the current activity of Stromboli volcano is understood as a single eruption that has been ongoing since 1934.

Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Volcanic Eruptions Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K | Global Volcanism Project / Smithsonian Institution

Eruptions of Svartsengi volcano

Nov-Dec 2024 eruption
...more info

Aug-Sep 2024 eruption
...more info

May-June 2024 eruption
The fifth eruption of the series began on 29 May 2024 and lasted for 24 days. Its lava flows caused damage to power lines and cut off several road sections

Mar-May 2024 eruption
...more info

Feb 2024 eruption
...more info

Jan 2024 eruption
The second eruption of the 2023-24 series began at approximately 7:57 UTC local time on 14 Jan 2024 morning from a fissure located 400–500 m (1,300–1,600 ft) north of Grindavík. It followed a seismic swarm about 5 hours earlier and produced lava flows that crossed some of the constructed barriers and destroyed three homes.
Fortunately, it only lasted approx. 36 hours and more damage was thus avoided.

Dec 2023 Reykjanes eruption
After the series of the 2021, 2022, and 2023 fissure eruptions at Fagradalsfjall, activity on the by now re-awakened Reykjanes rift zone of SW Iceland moved west to the Eldvörp–Svartsengi volcanic system, north of Gríndavik town and just a few km east of the famous Blue Lagoon area.
A first eruption occurred in Dec 2023, followed by an (ongoing) series of so far 7 eruptions until December 2024 (as of January 2025). ...more info

Svartsengi Volcano FAQ

+When was the last eruption of Svartsengi volcano?

The last confirmed eruption of Svartsengi began in 2023 and is continuing (as of September 2025).

+How often does Svartsengi volcano erupt?

Since 1179 AD, Svartsengi volcano has had at least 12 historically documented eruptions. This means that it erupts on average every 71 years.
Many eruptions of Svartsengi have lasted more than one year. In total, the volcano has been in eruption during 16 out of 846 years until now. In other words, Svartsengi has been active at least one in 52.9 years on average. Note that this value is likely an underestimate, because the known history of eruptions from Svartsengi is likely incomplete, especially further back in time.

+How active is Svartsengi volcano at present?

Svartsengi volcano is occasionally active: Since 1900, it has had 3 eruptions, and been active during 3 years out of 126 as of now. This means, Svartsengi has been in eruption one in 42 years on average. The latest eruption is still continuing at present.

+When was the largest eruption of Svartsengi volcano?

The largest eruption of Svartsengi volcano in historic times occurred around 1226 AD - 1227 AD. It ranks as a sub-plinian eruption with a magnitude 4 on the VEI (Volcanic Explosivity Index) scale.

Latest satellite images

See also: Sentinel hub | Landsat 8 | NASA FIRMS

Latest satellite images

Svartsengi Volcano Maps

Below is a selection of maps showing the location and surroundings of the volcano at various resolutions based on aerial-imagery / terrain maps. Feel free to use them for non-commercial purposes on your blog or website as long as you credit them with a link back to this page (click to copy it).