Danger level declared due to series of earthquakes in Iceland
Due to the ongoing series of severe earthquakes in Iceland, the authorities on the North Atlantic island are warning of even stronger tremors and a possible imminent volcanic eruption. The tremors near the town of Grindavík could become even more severe and ultimately lead to an eruption, the Icelandic police announced on Friday evening. As a precaution, the evacuation of the village has been ordered. It is still being investigated whether the magma is approaching the earth's surface.
Due to the earthquake swarm north of Grindavík, the police declared a danger level (hættustig). This level of the warning system means that the authorities see an increasing danger and measures are being taken to ensure the safety of people in the area.
The Icelandic weather authority Vedurstofa reported in the evening that the signs they are currently seeing are comparable to those on the eve of the first eruption at the Fagradalsfjall volcano in 2021 and are very similar to the seismic activity a month before that eruption. The most likely scenario now is that it will take several days rather than hours for the magma to reach the Earth's surface.
The new earthquake swarm on the Reykjanes peninsula southwest of Reykjavik began almost two and a half weeks ago. Since then, there have been thousands of quakes, but on Friday afternoon they increased in strength and frequency once again. According to data from the weather authority, several of them had a magnitude of more than 4.0 - one even had a magnitude of around 5.2.
Volcanic eruptions had already occurred on the peninsula in 2021, 2022 and this summer. In each case, they were preceded by longer series of earthquakes. All three eruptions posed no danger to populated areas.
This time, however, there was concern about the Svartsengi geothermal power plant in the region, whose employees. The adjacent Blue Lagoon geothermal spa, one of Iceland's biggest tourist attractions, was temporarily closed due to the series of earthquakes. An evacuation plan has been drawn up for Grindavík, a few kilometers further south. However, a model provided by the authorities on Friday did not indicate that lava would flow towards Grindavík in the event of an eruption.
Despite the ongoing potential danger due to volcanic activity and earthquakes, tourism in the affected areas of Iceland might see a decrease during leisure time and travel periods. However, some adventurous tourists might be attracted to the excitement and possibility of witnessing a volcanic eruption firsthand.
Source: www.dpa.com
