18 Earthquakes in 24 Hrs Near Katla Volcano in Iceland 7/20/10
Published by Update on the activity at Katla…
(7/20/10) Yet again, another big swarm of earthquakes is happening at Katla. This time, it is 18 in the region, in last 24 hours. 16 of them are at the Katla glacier. The 17th is near by and the 18th is near Torfajokull. At this time, there are no earthquakes registering at Eyja, and there have not been in at least a couple of days. Check back for new info as it happens…
(7/12/10) Another large group of earthquakes has happened at Katla! This is the most I’ve seen on the map, at once, since I stated watching in March. We’ve got 14 at the site, another 2 near by and a few over at Eyja. So, 16 earthquakes, at or near Katla in the last 2 days. They are staying consistently small, but the swarms are getting bigger, in the amount of separate quakes registering. I will update if anything changes…
(7/10/10) I just checked on Katla and we have some action going up there! I see 11 quakes at the site of the Katla glacier/volcano, in the last 2 days. The really interesting part is that there have been no other earthquakes anywhere near by Katla, in the last few days. The only other quake registering in the area is closer to Hekla. And that’s it. Even Eyja is totally quiet. Maybe we are getting close to an eruption? Time will tell…I will update as soon as anything new happens.
(7/6/10) Just a quick update…Earthquake activity has continued and is increasing again, at and near Katla. For the last two days there have been at least 8 EQ’s that have registered at Katla. 3 have happened in the last 12 hours. The quakes are all consistently, very small, but they are all happening in a specific area. I’ll keeping checking it out and update with anything new.
(6/24/10) Check out my newest article about Iceland’s Volcanoes:
Katla, Eyjafjallajokull and Now Meet Iceland Volcano Torfajokull
(6/20/10) The action has been relatively quiet since the last update. We do have about 4 new earthquakes at and around Katla in the last couple of days…but there has been no serious activity since 6/12/10. Worth mentioning…Eyjafjallajokull has seen an increase in earthquake activity. They seem to be taking turns with the earthquake activity, so time will tell who has the last word. That’s about it as far as an update, except that I found some really cool pictures of Katla that I wanted to share. Once it blows, it won’t look like this for a long time, so check it out…on my Doomed Pictures Blog —->
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On May 5, 2010 at 5:39 pm
With the volcano being in the news so much, what does Eyjafjallajokull mean?
I notice that many people have remarked on the awkwardness of trying to pronounce this name for this Icelandic volcano, myself included. I decided to go to Google Translate and see if I could decipher its meaning, which presumably would make it more graceful trying to read, speak and write the word. Interesting! I translated it backwards in what I figured were probably smaller words within a compound word and found out the following, knowing that Iceland’s history was not separate from Denmark and that Danish and Icelandic are related languages:
kull = fish (obtained using Yahoo look-up)
jo = course (translated from Danish)
fjalla = discuss (translated from Icelandic)
Eyja = island (translated from Icelandic)
So that gives us:
Island discuss course fish
Perhaps that could mean, this is a place where one might go to find good fishing, and it should be discussed. If one were on the lookout for a good fishing spot, perhaps on Iceland this would be a good place to discuss how the fishing is there currently? With a view to finding a good spot, liberally interpreting “course” as a path or way.
Hope this helps!
On May 5, 2010 at 6:05 pm
With the Katla Volcano underneath the Mýrdalsjokull Glacier being in the news so much, what does it mean?
As a follow-up to my earlier comment, I looked up the Icelandic word “Myrdalsjokull” at Google. The translation said it means, “murder” in Icelandic.
That gives us:
kull – fish
jo – course
Myrdals – very precisely, means “murder” in Icelandic according to Google translate (however, apparently it can also mean “swampy dales,” but the translated word is not as precise)
Maybe it would be “murder” to pick that spot for fishing?
Just confirms what the locals have always known…
On May 5, 2010 at 6:09 pm
With the Katla Volcano being in the news so much, what does it mean?
According to Google Translate, “katla” is an Icelandic word meaning “boilers.” Historically, that does seem apt.
On May 5, 2010 at 6:54 pm
Katla is a witch figure in icelandic folk tales
On May 5, 2010 at 9:59 pm
In response to Anon: I know that in English the same written word can have more than one meaning. Is it possible that through time, the Katla volcano became personified as an ideological figure, like a witch, possibly descriptive by people who experienced it’s eruptions? If you believe that there is a second meaning for Katla, in addition to “boilers,” I am sure Google Translate would like to know. In fact, there is a button right under the translated word for you to make what you have said known. Allt það besta til þín! [Google Translate translation of "All the best to you!" into Icelandic]
On May 6, 2010 at 8:14 am
Wendy, you are joking when you are making suggestions as to what Eyjafjallajökull really means, right?
The right translation is after all “island-mountain glacier” (Eyja-fjalla-jökull). All these three Icelandic words are, by the way, SOMEWHAT similar to the Norwegian words for the same things. I am pretty sure I have heard that Icelandic is much closer to Old Norse than the languages presently spoken in Norway. The word “jøkull” is, however, olso used in Norwegian names for Norwegian glacers (e.g. Hardangerjøkullen). The Norwegian name would probably be something like Øyafjelljøkullen (the “-en” at the end of the name corresponds to the word “the” in English names). (Island = øy; mountain = fjell).
This has been today’s (private) lesson in foreign languages.
On May 6, 2010 at 12:47 pm
Hello, Knut. I believe that the meanings of parts of the name of the volcano Eyjafjallajökull would come under the category derivations, not their current meanings. There are many words in Danish that are almost the same as Icelandic due to the island’s past history. I was not joking. However, I did present what I had learned, as it is of interest.
On May 6, 2010 at 2:21 pm
Regarding the Katla witch:
There is a legend about Katla, rumored to be a witch, and how her man was injured and damage to local homes had to be restored.
There is another legend about the mountain hiding Katla the witch is never forgotten. “She gets angry,” Erlingsdottir.
On May 8, 2010 at 4:59 am
Eyjafjallajökull volcano eruption 7 May 2010
Time lapse webcam film from yesterday evening:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSuzjFJJy-Y
On May 11, 2010 at 3:18 am
Is it possible that through time, the Katla volcano became personified as an ideological figure, like a witch, possibly descriptive by people who experienced it’s eruptions? If you believe that there is a second meaning for Katla, in addition to “boilers,
On May 12, 2010 at 9:32 pm
I find these reports interesting, because it’s a little difficult to get Iceland volcano updates. However, it certainly would be good to know to what height the ash is going, and how much of it is going and for how long. As we all probably know by now, that is the determiner of how much may be reaching the upper atmosphere, or may be being pushed by the wind to far-flung areas. If the ashfall is below 10,000 feet, most likely it just falls right onto the erupting volcano and local areas around it.
On May 20, 2010 at 11:52 am
I appreciate your bringing updates about the Icelandic volcanoes so promptly, and with images! No one does it better. Katla isn’t hot on top so I don’t think it will go soon. In addition to having a significant earthquake event prior to erupting, the top needs to be melted and exhibit heat. That’s actually what’s keeping it from blowing right now, it’s all plugged up with the Myrdalsjokull glacier currently sealing it in.
On May 21, 2010 at 10:51 am
“kull = fish (obtained using Yahoo look-up)
jo = course (translated from Danish)
fjalla = discuss (translated from Icelandic)
Eyja = island (translated from Icelandic)
So that gives us:
Island discuss course fish”
Wendy, I suspect the meaning might be a little different.
Maybe the words mean more like …
Island renown for big fish
On May 21, 2010 at 2:33 pm
Hi if Katla erupted how much of a concern would it be compared to Eyja ? Cheers Simon from the UK.
On May 23, 2010 at 2:00 pm
This is the prelude to a massive global snowbball of events. An ice age is emminent. Catastrophic events are arising. We may only have a few years left. I have been watching the earthquakes since April, and Katla WILL erupt. With the recent slowdown of Eyjafjallajökull, it is a human common judgement of facts that more eruptions will occure.
On May 23, 2010 at 2:37 pm
The activity at Katla is very low and I would recomend checking up onhttp://scienceblogs.com/eruptions/ Dr Eric Klemetti”s blog for some very good and expert analysis http://scienceblogs.com/eruptions/
On May 23, 2010 at 2:49 pm
“In the past 48 hours 3 earthquakes occurred at Katla volcano, Iceland. The earthquakes may be due to ice movements within Mýrdalsjökull glacier or magma movement under the volcano. Scientists have been keeping a close watch on Katla volcano, due to the possibility of an eruption triggered by the activity at nearby Eyjafjallajokull. An eruption of Katla volcano has the potential to be more devastating than the current eruption of Eyjafjallajokull.”
(5/23/10) Huge update today…. You got it all wrong. Its not erupting, yet. They put it on the map, just in case
On May 25, 2010 at 9:48 pm
Regarding the volcano name Eyjafjallajökull, in response to Wilhem Eyja: I experimentally extracted out of Eyjafjallajökull four source words, which is entirely conjecture on my part. Are you Icelandic? Does its meaning seem more like “Island renown for big fish” to you? “Course fish”: Could refer to the usual river running from a volcano topped by a glacier, usually well stocked with fish. “Discussion”: I conjectured some fishermen chatting about where the fishing is good. One thing we all agree on, “Eyja” means “island!”
On June 3, 2010 at 5:00 pm
Icelandic stems from norwegian accually, not dansish. Jökull means glacier/, ice cap. Fjalla or fjall means mountain, it is close to our swedish word which is fjäll. Eyja is a female name. So Eyjafjallajökull translates to Eyja glacier mountain.
On June 3, 2010 at 5:10 pm
Or,,,better yet,,Eyja Mountain Glacier,,sorry about that! Anywho, there is no increased activity as of today at Katla, really tiny earth quakes that is quite common around any volcanoes. At Yellowstone there is numerous quakes every day and they are considered minor at, say, 2.5.
It will be interesting to follow though!
On June 12, 2010 at 11:33 am
There is NO activity at Katla at the moment…Those eartquakes are usual at this time because of warm weather and ice melting in the glacier around Katla. And all that eartquakes are shalow (less than 2km). When we will see 10 or more earthquakes at depth more than 5km at katla, then will be time to start thinking about eruptions. But it will be stil good to closely looking at activity near katla or near (not just eq but also tremor and gps movement)
But for now nothing really interesting happening.
Cheers from Iceland
On June 12, 2010 at 4:04 pm
Johan, maybe all the earthquakes are shallow at Katla is because anything deeper is not rock, but a gigantic pool molten rock and lava, which can not give seismic quakes.
On June 12, 2010 at 9:07 pm
I just did some research and found major errors in what major news outlets are reporting. For example, Dr. Michio Kaku said that Katla would make Mount St. Helens look like a “firecracker”. In reality both Katla (1918) and Mount St. Helens (1980) eruptions are both rated 5 under the Volcanic Explosivity Index. I have come to the conclusion that all the hype over Katla is to get more viewers and up news outlets ratings.
On June 13, 2010 at 8:12 am
Hi everyone. This may seem like an insignificant question in the grand scheme of things but. Im due to fly from the UK on wednesday (16th June) for a 2 week break which i booked a good 6 months ago. I have been trying to monitor katla activity and have been annoyed at the fact BBC news and other big news broardcasters have not mentioned a thing on this. But i would like an idea of when we think Katla may erupt, as i really cant start looking forward to my holiday for this hanging over us. I have been searching the web everyday for the last 2 weeks. This recent activity is worrying me, as it was quiet until the 10th/11th June.
Any help would be greatly welcomed.
Danny (UK)
On June 13, 2010 at 2:28 pm
Danny, do not worry about your travel plans as Johan stated before, earthquakes are common this time of the year. Temperatures are warming up and causing the glacier to move, therefore triggering shallow earthquakes. BBC news is well informed and is wise not to put fear into people, if there is no immediate concern.
On June 13, 2010 at 3:06 pm
Thanks for the reassurance, I hope your right. I was just getting mixed views, as alot of “blogs” I have read seem to say Katla is going to blow. And i am unaware as to which people are scientists who know these things, and who are just assuming things. Do you know of any good sites that may be more reliable? I had a look on the iceland met office site but i dont know if they would mention anything until an eruption was imminant. (are you all in America, alot of these blogs seem to be coming from there)
Thanks for your help.
Danny
On June 14, 2010 at 11:16 pm
It is interesting that there have been numerous small earthquakes near Katla in the last couple of days. In pondering the meaning of that, I believe that Katla is still in its current mode of reflecting Eyjafjallajokull’s activities. What is actually might mean is that Eyjafjallajokull is about to have explosive eruption again. I don’t believe the quakes are strong enough to indicate that Katla’s eruption is imminent. I am not an expert, but I have obtained a lot of information from volcanic experts, and am very experienced, having resided in a highly volcanic area for more than 4 years.
On June 21, 2010 at 11:11 am
So guys let me ask you the ultimate question! When will it erupt, tomorrow, july august….. I’m very busy tyring to find out, need to book holiday and have no intention of nto being able to get out! Please do respond.
On August 21, 2010 at 12:09 pm
In the event that there may be some activity unreported at Eyjafjalljokull, I located an interesting website which provides live photos from space:
http://oiswww.eumetsat.org/IPPS/html/MSG/RGB/ASH/ICELAND/index.htm
Recommended for great up-to-the-minute views of the strength and distribution of ash falls from the eruption.
On August 31, 2010 at 10:34 am
Also, earthquake around volcanos are a release of pressure. Release is good, otherwise the pressure will build and POP! It also indicates that there is something going on underneath. Historically, we should expect an eruption at Katla, but it’s taking its time (not that I mind).
On July 20, 2011 at 2:43 pm
warming up again