The Eruptions of Reykjanes

Fires Underneath

For thousands of years, four volcanic systems have defined the Reykjanes Peninsula, leaving behind lava fields, craters, and rugged coastlines. After centuries of calm, these systems stir to life from time to time, reshaping both land and life.

Straddling the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Reykjanes is where the North American and Eurasian plates slowly drift apart. Here, magma rises through fissures, feeding eruptions that extend from the ocean floor at Reykjanes all the way east to Hengill.

Could an Eruption Happen at Any Time?

Here, eruptions follow a natural cycle: bursts of activity lasting 200–350 years, followed by long quiet stretches that can last 700 to 1,200 years.

The last active period, from the 10th to 13th centuries, saw multiple eruptions that created lava fields, sea stacks, and ash deposits still visible today. Now, after nearly 800 years of silence, a new cycle has begun. Since 2021, several eruptions have occurred, and experts predict more in the coming years and decades.

The Sundhnúkur Eruptions (Dec 2023 – July 2025)

Between December 2023 and July 2025, nine eruptions occurred in the Sundhnúkur system, each triggered by earthquake swarms and magma intrusions. Eruptions varied in length (1–54 days), scale, and impact. Local communities and businesses, including Grindavik and the Blue Lagoon, were repeatedly evacuated in response.

The Timeline (So Far)

Dec 18–21, 2023: First eruption, which lasted three days, began at ~22:17 near Hagafell on the Sundhnúkur crater row. Fissure extended ~3–4 km.

Jan 14–16, 2024: Brief but destructive: lava reached Grindavík’s outskirts and destroyed three homes.

Feb 8, 2024: Dramatic lava fountains ~60–70 m high, fissure ~3 km long, disrupted hot-water pipeline to Svartsengi power plant.

Mar 16 – May 8, 2024: Fourth eruption; longest in the series at 54 days.

May 29 – Jun 22, 2024: Largest lava volume, fissure ~3.4 km wide, intense early flow (~1 500 m³/s). Blue Lagoon and Grindavík evacuated.

Aug 22 – Sep 5, 2024: Lasted 14 days, lava field ~15.8 km², subsidence of 40 cm, but no major infrastructure damage.

Nov 20 – Dec 8, 2024: Seventh eruption; lasted 18 days, second-largest lava flow, threatened Blue Lagoon parking but spared essential infrastructure.

Apr 1, 2025: Eighth eruption; very short (< 1 day) and minor, low intensity.

July 16 – Aug 5, 2025: A small fissure eruption (~700–1,000 m) opened with moderate lava flow. Grindavík and the Blue Lagoon were temporarily evacuated early in the morning as a precaution, but no injuries or damage were reported. Both have since reopened to visitors.

Since the Last Eruption:

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