A dead humpback whale washed ashore on the outer Eyjafjörður coast near the farm Áshól over the weekend. Police notified relevant agencies; the carcass will be left in place as it poses no immediate hazard.
Icelandic authorities report that 7 of 22 salmon submitted for testing were confirmed as farmed escapees, caught in several North/West Iceland rivers. Tracing suggests six fish share a common origin in Dýrafjörður; investigations continue and anglers are asked to turn in suspect fish whole for analysis.
Many residents sought medical attention for respiratory discomfort and eye irritation caused by volcanic smog and air pollution lingering over Reykjavík and nearby areas.
Iceland experienced intense cold overnight, with -19.8°C recorded at Sandskeið around 6 a.m., and meteorologist Einar Sveinbjörnsson says it is likely the coldest 30 October on record. Reykjavík dropped to just over -8°C, and an Icelandic Met Office table showed -20.2°C at Setur south of Hofsjökull overnight.
A rockfall struck Suðurlandsvegur at Holtsnúp under Eyjafjöll on August 17 at the same spot where a fatal accident occurred in March, prompting calls for urgent safety upgrades on this stretch of the South Coast Road.
Over 400 lightning strikes were recorded in a powerful thunderstorm across southwest Iceland, with roughly half on land and heavy rainfall of 10–15 mm per hour.
The vessel Beitir NK landed 700 tons of herring in Neskaupstaður, as skippers report many whales—especially orcas—converging on herring grounds and following the net to the ship. Recent catches suggest the herring has shifted north toward Bakkaflói.
Vestari Hagafellsjökull, on the south side of Langjökull, has retreated about 200 meters since 2023, according to a preliminary glacier-terminus survey conducted on 20 September 2025. Since 2009 the glacier has receded roughly 973 meters through 2023, with accelerated retreat likely tied to this summer’s warmth.
Rescue teams assisted dozens of travelers in the Fjallabak/Landmannalaugar highlands as heavy rain and high water submerged roads. Advisories to avoid the area appear to have worked, with few vehicles present and all travelers getting through safely.
A whale carcass washed ashore just outside the settlement of Vogar on the Vatnsleysuströnd coast this afternoon. A marine biologist suggests that altered fish migration patterns, a consequence of climate change, are likely responsible for the higher number of strandings observed.
A magnitude 3.3 earthquake struck near Grjótárvatn on Mýrar this morning, the largest in the Ljósufjöll volcanic system in about three and a half months. Roughly 45 quakes have occurred since last night at 15–20 km depth, and the Icelandic Met Office notes concern would rise if activity shallows.
A sheep house east of Vík í Mýrdal was washed out to sea amid heavy surf, and rescuers fear a nearby horse stable could be lost at the next high tide as winds strengthen. No animals were inside; valuables were cleared and yellow weather warnings are in effect for South and Southeast Iceland.
Berry farm owners Bjarni and Hrafnhildur at Vellir in Svarfaðardal report that this year’s wild blueberry harvest has started unusually early, with three shipments already arriving for sale.
Storm Floris struck Langesund in Telemark, Norway, ripping roofs off summer cabins at a Norsk Hydro holiday site, though no injuries were reported.
A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck the Bárðarbunga volcano under Vatnajökull about 20 minutes before midnight, and it was felt as far away as Akureyri.
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