Icelandic authorities evacuated nearly 4,000 residents of the village of Grindavik after a series of strong tremors that may have been the beginning of a magma eruption.
Grindavik is located on the Reykjanes peninsula, near the Fagradalsfjall volcano, which became active again in March 2021 after centuries of dormancy. Since then, three different eruptions have occurred almost every year as magma escapes through the various fissures that form the volcanic. area. However, none of them hit residential areas.
Surrounded by a series of craters, the danger for Grindavik lies in the magma river that lies below the city center and at a depth of five kilometers. If it starts moving towards the surface, a volcanic eruption could occur in the village hit by a series of strong tremors, damaging houses and opening deep cracks in the streets, according to the Icelandic meteorological office.
Lögreglan á Suðurnesjum hefur lokað Grindavíkurvegi, Reykjanesbraut und a better Grindavíkur vegna skemmdaí veginum.
This is a Almannavarnir og Vegagerðin party. Ökumönnum is bent relative to Suðurstrandarveg. pic.twitter.com/kUraWrV8UB— Fréttastofa RÚV (@RUVfrettir) November 10, 2023
“Given its density, an eruption of this magma river is likely, but it is impossible to say where the crack will form and how long it will last,” said geologist Páll Einarsson, Ruv.is reported. . “The earthquakes could be larger than those that have occurred before, and this series of events could lead to an eruption. But there is no sign yet that the magma is approaching the surface. Its progress is being closely monitored,” he added. protection.
According to some experts, the explosion may even occur within a few days. Therefore, the government began extraordinary efforts to build a wall around the Svartsengi power plant, on which the Reykjaness peninsula depends on electricity. Iceland lies on the edge of a constantly dividing tectonic plate that separates North America and Eurasia along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. It is home to 32 active volcanoes.
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Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
