Iceland's Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir unfazed after earthquake strikes mid interview

Washington Post
Washington Post

Iceland's Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir was unfazed after an earthquake struck midway through a media interview.

The 5.6-magnitude earthquake hit southwest Iceland on Tuesday, shaking buildings in the capital, Reykjavik. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

Ms Jakobsdóttir was speaking at a live Zoom event hosted by the Washington Post when she paused mid-sentence at the time the quake struck. "Oh my god, there is an earthquake," she said.

However, after the quake subsided, she apologised to the interviewer.

Ms Jakobsdóttir was briefly surprised by the earthquake (Washington Post)
Ms Jakobsdóttir was briefly surprised by the earthquake (Washington Post)

"Sorry there was an earthquake right now."

She added: "Well. this is Iceland!"

Ms Jakobsdóttir then laughed - before regaining her composure.

She continued: "I would just finish the question".

Ms Jakobsdóttir recovered her composure quickly (Washington Post)
Ms Jakobsdóttir recovered her composure quickly (Washington Post)

Iceland is one of the most seismically active countries in the world, though most quakes are small and do little damage.

However, Ms Jakobsdóttir is not the first Prime Minister to be interrupted mid interview by an earthquake.

Last May New Zealand's PM Jacinda Ardern interrupted a TV interviewer to tell him she could feel "quite a decent shake" at New Zealand's parliament in Wellington.

The city had also just been shook by a 5.6-magnitude earthquake.