Due to the ongoing series of serious earthquakes in Iceland, authorities on the North Atlantic island are warning of even stronger earthquakes and a possible imminent volcanic eruption. Tremors near the town of Grindavik could become even more violent and eventually lead to an eruption, Icelandic police said on Friday night. As a precaution, the city was evacuated. It will continue to be seen whether the magma is approaching the Earth’s surface.
Police declared a dangerous situation due to the earthquake swarm north of Grindavik. This level of alert system means that authorities are observing an increasing danger and that measures are being taken to ensure the safety of people in the area.
800 earthquakes in a few hours
The Lagoa Azul tourist attraction was already closed yesterday as a precautionary measure following a series of earthquakes. The lagoon, located on the Reykjanes Peninsula, is popular, among other things, for its outdoor thermal pool.
Yesterday, around 800 earthquakes were measured about three kilometers north of the town of Grindavik, of 4,000 inhabitants, on the Reykjanes Peninsula. According to preliminary information from the meteorological authority, the strongest of these earthquakes had a magnitude of 5.2. Police closed a road connecting Grindavik that was damaged by the earthquakes.
Later, two stronger earthquakes were felt in the capital Reykjavik, about 40 kilometers from Grindavik, and across much of Iceland’s south coast.
24,000 tremors since the end of October
According to the IMO, around 24,000 tremors have been measured on the Reykjanes Peninsula since the end of October. According to its own information, the meteorological authority discovered an accumulation of magma about five kilometers below the earth’s surface. If magma moves toward the surface, it could cause a volcanic eruption.
Since 2021, there have been three volcanic eruptions on the Reykjanes Peninsula – in March 2021, August 2022 and July. However, these outbreaks occurred far from populated areas or important infrastructure. Iceland is the largest and most active volcanic region in Europe.