The Icelandic authorities warned on Saturday that they are preparing for a volcanic eruption in the south of the island in the coming days after recording a series of earthquakes and the presence of magma spreading rapidly underground.
The Icelandic Meteorological Institute stated that there are big danger”. of eruption on or near the Reykjanes Peninsula due to the volume of underground magma seepage and the rate of its movement. The institute said in a statement, “The possibility of a volcanic eruption has increased since the morning and could begin at any time in the coming days.”
The local civil protection agency ordered the complete evacuation overnight of the fishing village of Grindavik, which has a population of three thousand people. This region has suffered from several volcanic eruptions in unpopulated areas in recent years. But this crisis could happen in the riverbed southwest of the city.
Authorities estimate that a tube of magma, or molten rock, formed late Saturday afternoon, running across northeastern Grindavik, extending 10 kilometers into the country and less than 800 meters deep, compared to just 1,500 meters long from the start of the day. . Since Thursday, the geothermal spa, one of the island’s biggest attractions, has been closed.
The region has been experiencing a state of emergency since Friday. Since the end of October, 24 thousand earthquakes have occurred. The strength of the strongest of these tremors reached 5.2 on the Richter scale.
Iceland witnesses frequent eruptions, as the area south of the capital, Reykjavik, is the center of volcanic crises. One of the most dramatic events occurred in March 2021, when lava was expelled from a fissure more than 500,000 meters high. In July, an eruption was also recorded days after the earthquakes.
“Hardcore alcohol maven. Hipster-friendly analyst. Introvert. Devoted social media advocate.”
