Volcano eruption soon? Iceland rattled by tens of thousands of tremors in a week
900 earthquakes struck southern Iceland, adding to the tens of thousands of tremors that have shaken the region in recent weeks as the country prepared for a major volcanic eruption. Almost 4,000 people were evacuated over the weekend as officials worried molten rock might rise to the earth's surface and strike a seaside town and a power plant, according to news agency Reuters.
What Icelandic Meteorological office say?
What Icelandic Meteorological office say?
"We have this tremendous uncertainty now; will there be an eruption and, if so, what sort of damage will occur," Matthew james Roberts, director of the service and research division at the Icelandic Meteorological office, said as residents of Grindavik were evacuated from their homes in the early hours of saturday as the earthquakes struck.
A local, Hans Vera, said that his family's house was constantly trembling. "You would never be steady, it was always shaking, so there was no way to get sleep," he stated. He went on to say, "It's not only the people in Grindavik who are shocked about this situation it's the whole of Iceland." "You have to park your car five kilometers from town and there are 20 cars, huge cars from the rescue team, 20 policemen, all blinking lights, it's just unreal, it's like a war zone or something, it's really strange," he said.
What are the residents doing ahead of a possible volcano eruption?
A local, Hans Vera, said that his family's house was constantly trembling. "You would never be steady, it was always shaking, so there was no way to get sleep," he stated. He went on to say, "It's not only the people in Grindavik who are shocked about this situation it's the whole of Iceland." "You have to park your car five kilometers from town and there are 20 cars, huge cars from the rescue team, 20 policemen, all blinking lights, it's just unreal, it's like a war zone or something, it's really strange," he said.
What are the residents doing ahead of a possible volcano eruption?
According to a rescue official, practically all of the town's 3,800 residents have found shelter with family or friends, while 50 to 70 individuals are staying in evacuation facilities. Some evacuees were permitted to return to town for a short time to reclaim their things.
How recurrent are earthquakes in the region?
The peninsula of Reykjavik is a volcanic and seismic hotspot. It lies southwest of the capital. Lava fountains erupted magnificently in march 2021 from a crack in the earth between 500 and 750 meters long in the region's Fagradalsfjall volcanic system. In 2021, volcanic activity in the region lasted six months. A three-week eruption occurred in the same location in august 2022, followed by another in July of current year.