Round 3,400 residents of a small Icelandic fishing village had been ordered to evacuate earlier this month after the nation’s meteorological officers warned of a “important chance” of a volcanic eruption within the coming days.
Since then, the nation has been on excessive alert and experiencing a whole lot of earthquakes a day. Researchers say the likelihood of an eruption within the famously volcanic nation stays excessive.
So, what’s happening?
Icelandic officers have been monitoring elevated seismic exercise on the nation’s Reykjanes Peninsula, alongside the southwestern shoreline, since Oct. 24.
Grindavík, a small city, lies near the middle of the seismic exercise, and officers ordered all residents to go away their properties final week as a precautionary measure till it subsides.
“At this stage, it isn’t attainable to find out precisely whether or not and the place magma would possibly attain the floor,” officers stated on Nov. 10. “There are indications {that a} appreciable quantity of magma is transferring in an space extending from Sundhnjúkagígum within the north in the direction of Grindavík.”
When may the eruption occur?
On Wednesday, Iceland’s Met Workplace stated seismic exercise had remained constant since Nov. 11, and officers had been nonetheless monitoring the area. The federal government famous, nonetheless, that it was not possible to foretell when an eruption may occur and the way shut it might be to the city of Grindavík.
“Total, the state of affairs appears to be unchanged since yesterday,” meteorological officers stated. “The likelihood of an eruption remains to be thought-about excessive.”
Micah Garen through Getty Photographs
Will planes be impacted?
In all probability not, however possibly. The Icelandic authorities stated whereas disturbances to air journey can’t be dominated out, it was unlikely to be a repeat of the key eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in 2010. That occasion precipitated world disruption between Europe and North America after the eruption spewed an enormous ash cloud into the air.
“Whereas the opportunity of air site visitors disturbance can’t be solely dominated out, scientists contemplate it an unlikely state of affairs,” the federal government stated. “The potential disruption to flight site visitors would rely on elements similar to the situation and dimension of the eruption. Usually, the affect of volcanic eruptions is confined to particular, localized areas.”
The officers added, “Notably, earlier eruptions within the space didn’t affect flights to and from the nation.”
Etienne De Malglaive through Getty Photographs
Is Iceland nervous?
The nation has careworn officers are extremely ready for any eruption, noting Iceland is “no stranger to volcanic exercise and experiences a volcanic occasion each 5 years, on common.”
The federal government stated, “Three eruptions have occurred on the Reykjanes Peninsula within the final three years, none of which precipitated hurt to individuals or disrupted air site visitors. Icelandic authorities and the general public are extremely ready for such occasions, and Iceland has one of many world’s best volcanic preparedness measures.”
Marco Di Marco through Related Press
