Iceland: 29 million cubic metres of magma beneath Svartsengi, a new eruption still most likely

About 29.1 million cubic metres of magma has accumulated beneath Svartsengi on the Reykjanes Peninsula since the July 2025 eruption, the Icelandic Met Office said on October 27. The ground is rising about four centimetres every three months.

The alert level is orange (2), and the hazard map is valid until January 5, 2027. There was no eruption between August and October. "A magma intrusion, potentially leading to an eruption, remains the most likely scenario," the office said.

Grindavík and the Blue Lagoon

Eruptions on Reykjanes since 2021 have repeatedly threatened the fishing town of Grindavík, the Svartsengi power plant and the Blue Lagoon. Each new phase of magma build-up is watched closely because of the infrastructure and nearby Keflavík international airport.