The series of earthquakes in Iceland continued this weekend. On Sunday alone, authorities recorded about 880 earthquakes between midnight and 6 a.m., broadcaster RUV reported. Due to the high number of earthquakes, experts believe a major eruption is imminent. The only question is when and where, they say.
However, the tremors on Sunday remained below magnitude 3.0. It was said to be much quieter than the previous two nights. However, it is still believed that a strong volcanic eruption will occur on the Reykjanes Peninsula, southwest of the capital Reykjavik.
After an earthquake swarm lasting several days – a specific form of a series of earthquakes – authorities evacuated the town of Grindavík with around 3,700 inhabitants and also closed the nearby Blue Lagoon, the island’s best-known tourist attraction in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Cracks in streets, ditches that are meters wide
Photos from the area show deep cracks in the streets and meters-wide holes in the ground. Significant damage to homes is expected. A channel runs through the evacuated coastal town of Grindavík, which has collapsed up to a meter deep in some places, where the magma vein is less than a kilometer deep, the Iceland Review magazine reports on its website.
The South Country Volcano and Disaster Protection Group Facebook page says that the presence of this trench was known to locals and that it was called Stamphólsgjá. Apparently it had now drifted apart en masse and the ground had slid into the depths.
The new swarm of earthquakes started about two and a half weeks ago. Since then there have been more than 24,000 earthquakes. Volcanic eruptions had already occurred on the Reykjanes Peninsula in 2021, 2022 and this summer. These were also announced with longer series of earthquakes.
A state of emergency has been declared, the aviation alert has been raised
In all three eruptions there was no danger to populated areas. After an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.8 on Thursday, a state of emergency was declared and the aviation warning has been raised to orange.
Source: Krone
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