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Iceland has 18,000 earthquakes in a week

Earthquakes - Level 4

Iceland had 18,000 earthquakes last week. Most were too small to feel. The largest was a magnitude 5.6. This activity suggests that a volcano in the southwest of Iceland may erupt soon. Volcanoes in this area have been dormant for 800 years. Iceland is a volcanic island and is used to tremors. However, the recent quakes have worried people in the capital city Reykjavik. Scientists say despite the large number of quakes, there has been little damage.

Iceland sits on top of 100km-thick plates that are deep in the earth. The plates below Iceland are moving apart and pushing North America and Eurasia away from each other. A Reykjavik resident spoke about his anxiety. He said: "I have experienced earthquakes before, but never so many in a row. It is very unusual to feel the Earth shake 24 hours a day for a whole week. It makes you feel very small and powerless against nature."

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Earthquakes - Level 5

Unbelievably, Iceland has had 18,000 earthquakes in the space of a week. Most were too small to feel. The largest quake was a magnitude 5.6. This seismic activity suggests that a volcano in the southwest of Iceland may erupt soon. Volcanoes in that area have been dormant for over 800 years, but seismologists believe an eruption could be imminent. Iceland is a volcanic island and is used to tremors. However, the recent quakes have unsettled residents in the capital city Reykjavik. Scientists say despite the large number of quakes, there has been little damage.

Iceland is situated on top of tectonic plates that are deep in the earth. These are pieces of Earth's crust around 100km thick. Earth's land mass sits on them. The plates below Iceland are splitting apart and pushing North America and Eurasia away from each other. One Reykjavik resident spoke about his anxiety caused by the recent quakes. He said: "I have experienced earthquakes before, but never so many in a row. It is very unusual to feel the Earth shake 24 hours a day for a whole week. It makes you feel very small and powerless against nature."

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11 online activities    |    8-page printable   (PDF)

Earthquakes - Level 6

It's a little hard to believe, but Iceland has experienced 18,000 earthquakes in the space of a week. Most of them have been too small to feel. The largest quake was on February 24 and was a magnitude 5.6. The seismic activity suggests that a volcano in the southwest of Iceland may be about to erupt. Volcanoes in southwestern Iceland have been dormant for over 800 years, but seismologists believe an eruption could be imminent. Iceland is a volcanic island and is used to the occasional tremor. However, swarms of quakes have unsettled residents in the capital city Reykjavik. Scientists say despite the large number of quakes, there has been very little damage.

Iceland is situated on top of the meeting of tectonic plates deep in the earth. Tectonic plates are pieces of Earth's crust around 100km thick on which Earth's land mass sits. The plates below Iceland are continually splitting apart and pushing North America and Eurasia away from each other at an infinitesimally slow rate. Living on a tectonic plate means seismic activity is inevitable. One Reykjavik resident spoke about his anxiety caused by the 18,000 recent quakes. He said: "I have experienced earthquakes before, but never so many in a row. It is very unusual to feel the Earth shake 24 hours a day for a whole week. It makes you feel very small and powerless against nature."

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