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Elongated volcanic ridge of Hekla rising over southern Iceland
Photo:Oddur Sigurdsson
Volcano Dossier•GVP #372070
63.98°N, 19.67°W
Erupted since 2000
Iceland→

Volcano Hekla

Iceland's most notorious volcano, known in medieval Europe as a gateway to hell. It has erupted more than twenty times since 874, most recently in 2000, and its eruptions can begin with less than an hour of seismic warning, a real challenge for flights over the North Atlantic.

Last eruption

2000

Erupted since 2000

Summit

1.5 km

Stratovolcano · Andesite / Basaltic Andesite

Activity

Normal Baseline

0 events (1.0x rate)

Interactive Volcano & Seismicity Map

Seismicity within 50 km radius, active VAAC ash plumes, and tectonic plate boundaries.

Recent seismicity within 50 km

0 events in the last 12 h within 25 km of the crater.

TimeMagnitudeEpicenter / PlaceDistance
21d agoM3.5ICELAND (IMO)49 km
27d agoM3.0ICELAND (IMO)48 km
27d agoM3.0ICELAND (IMO)48 km
89d agoM2.9ICELAND (IMO)40 km

Geological & Tectonic Profile

Stratovolcano

Hekla is an active Stratovolcano formed in an active Rift zone / Oceanic crust (< 15 km). Dominant lithology: Andesite / Basaltic Andesite.

Edifice TypeStratovolcano
Major rockAndesite / Basaltic Andesite
TectonicsRift zone
Volcanic ArcIceland Neovolcanic Rift Volcanic Province

Volcano Dossier

VN #372070

Official catalogue parameters, coordinates, elevation and geotectonic classification.

CountryIceland
Crater Coordinates63.983°, -19.666°
Summit1.5 km
SubregionIceland Neovolcanic Rift Volcanic Province
Catalog SourceSmithsonian GVP (#372070)

Authoritative Monitoring Infrastructure

All 18 Networks & VAAC →
Seismic ObservatoryIMO
Icelandic Meteorological Office (Veðurstofa Íslands)
Official Portal
ICAO Aviation Ash Center
London VAAC (UK Met Office)
Exeter, United Kingdom
VAAC Advisory Desk
Swarm telemetry correlated across 18 networks against a 30-day baseline.Read Science & Physics →
Regional Seismic Profile

Iceland Rift Zone & Reykjanes

Explore live seismic monitoring, historical danger benchmarks, fault slip models and recurrence intervals for Iceland Rift Zone & Reykjanes.

Open Regional Hub

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Verified scientific, operational, and emergency protocols

The most recent eruption of Hekla recorded by the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program was in 2000.

Catalogue: Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program.Smithsonian GVP profile