Iceland is shaken by a series of severe earthquakes. An impending volcanic eruption could make the situation even worse.
Update from November 12th, 11:11 a.m.: The series of earthquakes continues to keep Iceland in suspense. On Sunday night, the authorities registered around 880 more earthquakes, according to the broadcaster RUV reported. Although the tremors did not exceed a magnitude of 3.0, the risk of a volcanic eruption continues to increase southwest of the capital Reykjavik on the Reykjanes Peninsula. The data initially did not show any change in the magma chambers, nor did the activity approach the surface.
Iceland in a state of emergency: Thousands of earthquakes and an impending volcanic eruption are shaking the island
First report from November 11th, 11:04 a.m.: Reykjavík – In the last few days there have been… Island Thousands of earthquakes have been recorded and there are now fears of a volcanic eruption. According to the Icelandic Meteorological Agency IMO, this could take place “in a few days”. Due to this threat, a state of emergency was declared in the southwest of the country. The island is home to dozens of active volcanoes whose eruption could have catastrophic consequences.
About 800 quakes were recorded on Friday about three kilometers north of the town of Grindavik on the Reykjanes peninsula. According to preliminary information from the weather authority, the strongest of these quakes reached a magnitude of 5.2. A road connecting Grindavik that was damaged by the quakes was closed by police. In addition, a dangerous situation (hættustig) was declared. This alert level means authorities see a growing threat and are taking action to ensure the safety of people in the region. Already in There was a volcanic eruption in Iceland in the summer.
Grindavik is about 40 kilometers from the capital Reykjavik, where around 120,000 people live. The Tremors from the quake were both in Reykjavik as well as on the southern coast of the country. According to the IMO, there have been around 24,000 tremors on the Reykjanes Peninsula since the end of October.
| Island |
| Grindavik (40 km from Reykjavik) |
| 5,2 |
| Volcanic eruption |
Earthquake near Reykjavik: Iceland in state of emergency due to thousands of earthquakes and threatened volcanic eruption
Given the ongoing series of strong earthquakes in Iceland, authorities are warning of even more intense quakes and a potential volcanic eruption. The tremors near the town of Grindavík could become even stronger and eventually lead to an eruption, Icelandic police warned on Friday evening. As a precautionary measure, the area was ordered to be evacuated. It is examined whether the magma is approaching the earth’s surface. There has been a volcanic eruption every year for the last three years.
The weather agency reported magma accumulation about five kilometers below the earth’s surface. If the magma moves to the surface, it could trigger a volcanic eruption. According to Icelandic meteorological agency Vedurstofa, the current signs are similar to those that preceded the first eruption at Fagradalsfjall volcano in 2021. The seismic activity is also comparable to that before the eruption three years ago. The magma is expected to reach the Earth’s surface in the coming days. (kiba/dpa/afp)
This article was created using machine assistance and was carefully checked by editor Kilian Bäuml before publication.
The post first appeared on www.fr.de
