A strong earthquake shock magnitude 5.8 hit theIceland today, 01/31/2026, at 11.55 local time – 12.55 Italian. According to what was reported by INGV, the hypocenter was located more than 110 km north-east of Akureyriin the area of the ice cap of Vatnajökull. The epicenter was detected at 15 km of depth. Currently, the USGS reports a magnitude of 5.3.
Given the remote location of the epicentre, located in a glacial and uninhabited area, no damage to property or people has been reported, although the earthquake may have been felt in the nearest coastal towns or by tourists present in the nearby areas. The sub-glacial volcano is located in the area Grimsvotnthe most active on the island with over 70 eruptions in the last millennium.
Iceland is located in a unique geological position, located directly on the Mid-Atlantic Ridgethe great fracture that separates the Eurasian tectonic plate from that North American. This location makes the island one of the areas with the highest seismic and volcanic activity in the world. The area is characterized by the presence of 130 volcanoes, 30 of which are active. The fault system generates frequent seismic swarms and, sometimes, fissure eruptions.
