When the ground shifted: the 2008 Suðurland earthquake near Reykjavík

On 29 May 2008, a significant earthquake event occurred in southwestern Iceland, about 45 kilometres east-southeast of Reykjavík. This seismic episode, known for involving two nearly simultaneous major tremors, is remembered as the most powerful in the country since the year 2000.

A region shaped by shifting plates

Iceland’s position astride the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the boundary between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates, results in frequent volcanic activity and occasional earthquakes. While the area is famous for its volcanoes, robust quakes like those in 2008 typically occur on transform faults. These fault lines run through both northern and southern Iceland, where the plates slide past each other horizontally. The earthquake that struck in May 2008 is classified as a Suðurlandsskjálfti (Southern Region quake), reflecting its characteristic occurrence on the southern fault.

Impact on towns, farms and the landscape

The epicentre was situated between Hveragerði and Selfoss, a densely populated region home to approximately 12,000 people. The towns of Eyrarbakki, Stokkseyri and Þorlákshöfn, as well as numerous farms, also felt the effects. Many homes and shops experienced items falling from shelves; nearly every bottle in some local liquor stores was smashed. Structural cracks appeared in buildings, and shifting furniture and loose items inside caused extensive interior damage.

Public safety officials responded swiftly, advising people living nearest to the epicentre not to sleep in their homes that first night due to possible aftershocks. Although there were no fatalities, several individuals suffered minor injuries. Residents of elder care homes and patients at the Selfoss hospital were at one point gathered outside as a precaution.

Livestock was not spared. Collapsed farm buildings trapped sheep, with some animals killed and others needing to be euthanised. Traffic on the Ring Road was disrupted where it sustained damage near Ingólfsfjall and at the Óseyrabrú bridge, which was temporarily closed for inspection and repairs. Landslides and rock falls were reported on slopes around Ingólfsfjall and at a few other sites, but most slides caused little additional harm.

An unexpected result of the quake was a measurable horizontal and vertical shift of the ground itself. Land surveying stations recorded that the town of Selfoss moved about 17 centimetres to the southeast and rose approximately 6 centimetres, relative to points in Reykjavík. Nearby Hveragerði shifted in a slightly different direction. Such ground displacement is significant for mapping and infrastructure, though imperceptible to daily life, and similar adjustments after earlier quakes partly reversed over time.

TopicsEarthquakesHveragerðiIcelandSelfossSuðurlandsskjálftitectonic plates