Icelandic authorities declared a state of emergency after a series of strong earthquakes shook the southwest of the Reykjanes peninsula, signaling the increased likelihood of a volcanic eruption in the region. “The head of the national police declares a state of emergency for civil protection due to intense seismic activity in Sundhnjukagigar, north of Grindavik,” the Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management said in a statement, as reported by CNN.
Earthquake shocks in #Icelandan eruption is preparing pic.twitter.com/XMQ2WwzVhL
—kvaradotta (@sscraffaele) November 11, 2023
Police have urged residents to evacuate the coastal town of Grindavík due to a possible volcanic eruption. According to the Icelandic Meteorological Office, almost 800 earthquakes were recorded between midnight and 2pm on Friday (local time), of which the shallowest occurred at a depth of 3-3.5 kilometers. The Icelandic Civil Protection Agency announced that a magma tunnel in formation could reach Grindavík. Icelandic authorities said it was impossible to say if and where the magma might rise to the surface.
“Earthquakes can become stronger than those that have already occurred and this sequence of events can lead to an eruption. However, there are still no signs that the magma is approaching the surface. Its progress is being monitored closely,” the Civil Protection Agency said. Authorities called on residents to evacuate calmly and stressed that there is no imminent danger. “We want to reiterate that residents should evacuate their homes and leave the city . reiterate that this is not an emergency evacuation, there is plenty of time to prepare, secure things and leave the city calmly”, said Civil Protection.
Source: IL Tempo
John Cameron is a journalist at The Nation View specializing in world news and current events, particularly in international politics and diplomacy. With expertise in international relations, he covers a range of topics including conflicts, politics and economic trends.
