Revered for its therapeutic azure waters, the internationally known geothermal pool, the Blue Lagoon, has been shuttered for a week due to heightened seismic activity in its vicinity.
Located along southwest Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula, a geographic feature jutting westward into the North Atlantic Ocean from Reykjavik, the site of the Blue Lagoon is amidst one of the globe's most thermodynamically energetic areas. The peninsula, housing the country's main airport, Keflavik International, is predominantly characterized by a rift valley filled with lava fields and cones, rather than a central volcano.
According to the Icelandic Met Office, around 1,400 earthquakes were recorded in the 24 hours leading up to midday on November 9, with a further 800 registered in the initial 14 hours of the following day. Out of the shakes on Thursday, seven surpassed a magnitude of four and all were localized to the peninsula, specifically between Eldvörp, near the airport, and Sýlingarfell, an eastern mountain on the outskirts of the Blue Lagoon.
The most significant quake, a 4.8 magnitude, was detected roughly a mile south of the Blue Lagoon, west of the Þorbjörn mountain, just before 1 a.m. on Thursday. The Met Office declared in its Thursday bulletin that "it’s the largest earthquake since October 25th, when the seismic activity commenced. As magma continues to accumulate, seismic activity in the Reykjanes Peninsula can be anticipated because the growing magma intrusion increases tension in the zone."
The ongoing seismic activity, largely confined to the same area and depth, approximately three miles below ground level, is expected to persist intermittently while magma continues to build up. Despite the area remaining exchangeable, the Met Office stressed that a volcanic eruption is not necessarily impending. Accumulation of larger quakes does not definitively signify an accelerated rate of magma buildup. Earthquakes reaching up to a 5.5 magnitude were speculated as the earthly matter continues to amass below the surface. Nonetheless, they noted that there are currently no signs of magma ascending to the surface.
The level of volcanic eruption risk in the Reykjanes Peninsula is now classified as yellow, a step up from the rest of Iceland's green rating. According to a presentation from Visit Reykjanes, the local tourist board, the ongoing seismic activity is analogous to the precursors of the Fagradalsfjall eruptions in the last three years. However, the events may demonstrate a parallel to the futile actions of 2020 that did not lead to any eruptions.
The tourist attraction, which includes a pool, spa, hotels, and restaurants, ceased operations on November 9, with planned reopening on November 16, due in large part to the protection of safety and wellbeing. All guests with reservations have been fully refunded and booking-holders through to November 15 have been informed about the situation. Activities near Mount Þorbjörn, managed by other tour operators, have also been temporarily suspended.
RÚV, the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service, has initiated a livestream of the affected area, inclusive of the Blue Lagoon, while representatives from the Icelandic Civil Protection Agency are preparing the nearby town of Grindavik for potential evacuation in the hypothetical event of magma surfacing.
