There was a buzz and atmosphere in Herjólfsdal yesterday despite the boring weather. Read more
Sisters Þórhildur and Hulda Dagmar Magnúsdóttir matched the Icelandic record for the combined age of siblings yesterday — and today they break the record as their combined age reaches 206 years and 203 days.
Volcanic activity at the Sundhnúkagígar crater row has remained fairly stable overnight. The eruption continues from a single crater, with lava flowing eastward and spreading out across the lava field within 1 km of the crater. Movement at the outer edges of the lava field is minimal or slow.
No one was injured on board the dredger Álfsnes when a fire broke out in the engine room, causing a power failure in Pollurinn near Ísafjörður late last night.
A steady stream of foreign tourists made their way to the eruption at the Sundhnúkagígar crater row yesterday, while Icelanders were a rare sight in the area.
The Iceland–Palestine Association says in a statement issued yesterday that it regrets “the incident that occurred at the association’s protest yesterday, when one demonstrator splashed red paint on a journalist from mbl.is.”
A protester affiliated with the organization Iceland-Palestine splashed red paint on a photographer for Morgunblaðið and mbl.is at the scene.
Seven Russian trawlers are fishing just outside Iceland’s exclusive economic zone. At the peak in mid-June, there were fifteen vessels.
The Icelandic Tourist Board is warning tourism operators that conditions due to air pollution near Fagradalsfjall and the Sundhnúkar crater area are currently very dangerous. All emergency responders in the area are now required to wear masks.
Landsvirkjun has formally requested that the Environment and Energy Agency of Iceland issue a temporary permit for the Hvammur Hydropower Plant (Hvammsvirkjun), in accordance with Article 4a of the Electricity Act.
Monitoring stations in the capital area have this morning recorded the highest levels of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) since volcanic activity began on the Reykjanes Peninsula. According to the City of Reykjavík’s website, 10-minute peak values have reached or exceeded 2,000 micrograms per cubic meter.
In Hafnarfjörður, the heart beats strong this summer. The town festival Hjarta Hafnarfjarðar (“The Heart of Hafnarfjörður”) has grown and flourished impressively — and it’s not just locals dancing to its rhythm.
An earthquake measuring 3.5 struck west of Kleifarvatn just before 3 a.m. last night and was felt in the capital area.
The volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes Peninsula has remained stable since this morning, with continued activity from craters near the center of the fissure.
A man was arrested today following a stabbing incident at Austurvöllur. The police received a report about the attack around 2 p.m. The suspect fled the scene on a city bus but was later apprehended at the Kringlan shopping center.
Plans to raise the defensive barriers around Grindavík are part of the emergency response strategy following the volcanic eruption that broke out on the town’s outskirts in April this year.
Small and medium-sized businesses in Grindavík intend to file a damages lawsuit against the Icelandic state due to repeated closures of the town in recent years.
The eruption on the Sundhnúkur crater row is still ongoing, now having lasted for more than two days.
Access to Grindavík has now been opened to the general public, according to a statement from the Suðurnes Police Commissioner.
A new map by Morgunblaðið and mbl.is illustrates the location of the volcanic eruption on the Sundhnúkur crater row — the twelfth eruption on the Reykjanes Peninsula since March 2021, and the ninth in or near Sundhnúkur since December 2023.
Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir has just welcomed Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, at Reykjavík Airport.
A volcanic eruption began on the Sundhnúkur crater row during the night — the twelfth eruption in the series since December 2023.
A volcanic eruption has begun near the Sundhnúkar crater row — the twelfth eruption since the first one at Mt. Fagradalsfjall in 2021.
This new drone footage shows the eruption from above. The video was captured early this morning by photographer Hörður Kristleifsson and reveals the fissure, which is estimated to be about one kilometer long.
Ísak Leon Júlíusson saved the life of his father, Júlíus M. Jónsson, last night with the help of kind people living near Elliðavatn lake. The father and son were kayaking on the lake when Júlíus fell into the water. Ísak was some distance away but heard his father calling for help as he tried to stay on the kayak.
Scottish author and poet Ian Stephen made a long-held dream come true this summer when he sailed to Iceland on the sailing yacht Silver Moon, accompanied by his son Sean and two others. They set off from Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland about two weeks ago, and the journey has gone better than expected. The crew is currently in Húsavík, the main destination of the voyage, but they hope to sail around the entire country if conditions allow.
The government's fiscal plan for the years 2026–2030 has been approved by Alþingi with the support of the ruling coalition. A government MP described the plan as a "navigation chart" for the parliamentary term, while an opposition MP warned that the government is headed for shipwreck.
Minister of Economic Affairs Hanna Katrín Friðriksson’s bill to increase fishing fees has been passed by Alþingi (the Icelandic Parliament).
The temperature has just reached 26.5°C according to measurements from the Icelandic Meteorological Office's weather station at Árnes. Later today, temperatures could climb as high as 29°C, according to a meteorologist’s forecast.
Daníel Freyr Sigurbjarnarson, regional specialist at the Environment Agency of Iceland, is urging motorcyclists to stop driving off-road.
A heatwave is expected across much of the country tomorrow, according to Haraldur Eiríksson, meteorologist at the Icelandic Meteorological Office, who says temperatures could exceed 20°C in all regions.
Six men in Hrísey began a knitting course with retired textile teacher Svanhildur Daníelsdóttir on February 1st—and a seventh joined later. The project: to knit a traditional Icelandic lopapeysa sweater for themselves. They completed the task this week. “It went wonderfully, and they’ve learned a great deal,” she says.
A firearm was discharged inside a hotel room in Reykjavík last night.
An agreement has been reached on the official adjournment of Parliament, according to Þórunn Sveinbjarnardóttir, Speaker of Alþingi. The final parliamentary session before the summer recess will take place on Monday, July 14.
Guðrún Hafsteinsdóttir, chair of the Independence Party, says she views it as extremely serious that the People's Party requested a memo from the parliamentary office concerning the origin and use of Article 71 of the parliamentary rules more than two months ago.
Þorsteinn Roy Halldórsson successfully defended his title, winning the Laugavegur Ultra Marathon for the second year in a row. Andrea Kolbeinsdóttir claimed victory in the women’s category for the fifth consecutive year.
