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Iceland, home to hundreds of volcanoes, has been hit with more than 2,000 earthquakes in the last few days, prompting the country to declare a state of emergency and evacuations over a potential volcanic eruption putting the safety of thousands at risk.
KEY FACTS
KEY FACTS
- More than 800 earthquakes have been recorded in the country since Friday at 4 p.m. EST, with Iceland’s Meteorological Office saying in a statement that the “likelihood of a volcanic eruption occurring in the near future is deemed considerable.”
- Many of the quakes, some of which have exceeded magnitude 5.0, have occurred on the Reykjanes Peninsula — the home of the fishing town Grindavik, which is populated by 3,400 people and has been evacuated.
- Officials said it isn't possible to determine when and where magma might reach the surface, though there are “indications that a considerable amount of magma” was moving toward Grindavik.
- The amount of magma being closely watched by officials is “significantly more” than the largest magma intrusions associated with eruptions at
radalsfjall — a volcano that erupted for more than six months starting in March 2021. - Volcanic hazards may include lava, toxic gas and heavy smoke, according to a volcano alert from the U.S. Embassy in Iceland.
- The Aviation Color Code was elevated to orange on Friday, indicating an increased likelihood of eruption that could result in engine loss and navigational failure for aircraft.
