Icelandic authorities have issued a warning about an imminent volcanic eruption, which they predict could occur within the next few days.
The Icelandic Meteorological Office has identified the most probable location for the eruption, following a series of around 2,000 earthquakes recorded in the past day in the vicinity of the southwestern city of Grindavk.
The majority of the seismic activity has been concentrated near Hagafell, a mountainous region north of Grindavk. "The latest models that have been calculated based on GPS measurements and satellite data still indicate that the greatest slip in the magma tunnel is north of Grindavk, near Hagafell," the office stated. "If magma manages to break its way to the surface, it is still most likely to be in that area."
While most of the earthquakes have been minor, registering less than 1 on the Richter scale, a 3.0-magnitude tremor was detected at Hagafell earlier today. In response to the escalating seismic activity and the potential for a volcanic eruption, the city of Grindavk, home to approximately 3,000 people, has been evacuated.
In an attempt to mitigate the potential damage, Icelandic officials have deployed a large Caterpillar D11 bulldozer to the region. The machine is being used to excavate extensive trenches, spanning three miles in length, with the aim of diverting any potential lava flow away from critical infrastructure, as reported by Sky News.
Recent days have seen the emergence of videos and images depicting smoke billowing from fissures in the roads of Grindavk. In light of these developments, the aviation alert level has been elevated to orange, signaling an increased risk of a volcanic eruption.
Volcanic eruptions present a significant threat to aviation, as they can eject abrasive ash high into the atmosphere. This can lead to the failure of jet engines, damage to flight control systems, and reduced visibility. A major eruption in Iceland in 2010 resulted in significant disruption to air travel between Europe and North America, leading to the cancellation of over 100,000 flights and costing airlines an estimated $3 billion.
Login