Authorities lift uncertainty level at Askja after land uplift ends

Authorities have lifted the uncertainty level for Askja after new measurements showed that land uplift at the volcano has stopped, mbl.is reports.

The National Commissioner of Police, in consultation with the police commissioner for Northeast Iceland, made the decision after measurements also indicated that the ground in the area had begun to subside again. Gas readings and seismic activity were consistent with normal conditions, Iceland’s Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management said.

The findings are based on fieldwork by scientists from the Icelandic Met Office and the University of Gothenburg, completed last week. They measured ground deformation and gas levels in the Askja area.

The measurements showed that the uplift had stopped and that slight subsidence was now being recorded. No changes had been detected in the composition of gas in the eastern part of Askja compared with previous years, while seismic activity remained low and consistent with known background activity.

Authorities believe the unrest that has affected Askja in recent years has ended. The volcano’s alert level has therefore been lowered to level zero, indicating normal background conditions.

Askja is an active volcano on Iceland’s Northern Volcanic Zone. Significant land uplift began there in 2021, and the ground had risen by more than 60 centimetres since then. The latest measurements indicate that the process has now ended.

The area will continue to be monitored. Steam explosions may still occur within Askja’s geothermal areas, and its aviation colour code remains green.