Iceland Intensifies Watch on Svínafellsheiði
Years of near-stillness have ended above a southeastern Icelandic glacier, renewing questions about a mountainside whose fractures have been monitored since 2018.
The Icelandic Meteorological Office reported on November 1 that instruments at Svínafellsheiði had recorded one to three centimeters of movement since September 23. GPS stations and devices measuring changes across fractures both confirmed the deformation above Svínafellsjökull glacier.
Experts currently see no imminent risk of a rock avalanche. Following consultations with Civil Protection and South Iceland Police, they recommended closer monitoring without additional emergency measures.
Eight years of observation
Continuous instruments were installed in autumn 2018 after mapping with the University of Iceland revealed a fracture system about 1.7 kilometers long. Additional equipment followed in 2019, extending surveillance of the unstable mountainside.
The fracture reaches from the glacier’s surface, around 300 meters above sea level, toward the upper slope at roughly 850 meters. Monitoring is intended to detect changes that could precede a large collapse.
Keeping instruments connected has required repeated maintenance. The institute’s July 2026 report recorded problems at the lower monitoring station after the shutdown of the 3G mobile network. Its August report said specialists continued checking available measurements daily.
Field checks planned
Scientists are now reviewing readings more frequently, including at night. A field visit is planned when conditions allow, with drone photography, equipment checks and measurements at fixed points. Another GPS station is under consideration.
Rainwater pressure within the mountain and diminishing support from retreating ice are possible explanations for the renewed movement. Its cause remains uncertain, and researchers are considering whether the existing hazard assessment needs revision.
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