Iceland has declared a state of emergency after a series of earthquakes hit the nation, triggering fears of a volcanic eruption, media reports said.
The Icelandic Met Office (IMO) said nearly 800 earthquakes were reported between midnight and 2 p.m. on Friday (November 10, 2023).
A dense swarm of earthquakes began around 07:00 this morning in the same area, and nearly 800 quakes have been recorded since midnight, including 9 greater than magnitude 3, IMO said in a statement.
As a precaution, authorities have directed the evacuation of thousands of people from Grindavk town.
In a statement, the Icelandic Met Office (IMO) said: Significant changes have occurred in the seismic activity measured near Sundhnjkaggar north of Grindavk and deformation observed in the Reykjanes Peninsula this afternoon. The seismic activity has moved south towards Grindavk.
Based on how the seismic activity has evolved since 6 PM today, along with results from GPS measurements, there is a likelihood that a magma intrusion has extended beneath Grindavk. In light of this outcome, the police chief in Suurnes, in cooperation with the Civil Protection Authorities, has decided to evacuate Grindavk, read the statement.
The IMO said an emergency level of civil protection is now in effect.
At this stage, it is not possible to determine exactly whether and where magma might reach the surface. There are indications that a considerable amount of magma is moving in an area extending from Sundhnjkaggum in the north towards Grindavk. The amount of magma involved is significantly more than what was observed in the largest magma intrusions associated with the eruptions at Fagradalsfjall. Further data is being collected to calculate models that provide a more accurate picture of the magma intrusion. It is currently not possible to say when this work will be completed, the statement said.
With 30 active volcanic sites, Iceland remains an active region in the world.
Due to the ongoing seismic activities, the Blue Lagoon thermal pool has been shut down.
