Roads Cracked, Tremors Hit Iceland As Country Braces For Volcanic Eruption That Could Wipe Out Entire Town

Iceland is bracing for a volcanic eruption as nearly a thousand earthquake tremors hit the island nation forcing the evacuation of nearly 4,000 people.

Roads splitting up as earthquakes hit Iceland amid volcanic eruption fear.

A state of emergency has been declared in Iceland after the island nation was hit by around 900 earthquakes leading to the evacuation of 4,000 people as the country braces for a potential volcanic eruption, the biggest in 50 years, reports Bloomberg. Experts quoted by CNN say the country is facing a situation similar to what happened in 1973 during the Vestmannaeyjar eruption which began without any warning and destroyed over 500 homes. The town of Grindavík faces a complete wipeout, local media say, as fear grows of a destructive volcano.

According to the Civil Protection Agency of Iceland, a 15-kilometer- (nine-mile-) long magma corridor now stretches from northwest of Grindavík into the Atlantic Ocean, reported CNN. More than 500 earthquakes have hit the Reykjanes peninsula while hundreds of such tremors jolted Grindavík, as per BBC. A couple even recorded the terrifying moment of the earthquake on camera that shook their house.

🚨 VIDEO:

A house in Grindavik, Iceland, shaking during a strong earthquake.

A couple caught the scary moment on camera. pic.twitter.com/p9oYAb9DGn

— News Alphas (@NewsAlphas) November 14, 2023

Scientists still expect a volcanic eruption as images and videos flood X, formerly Twitter, showing cracks appearing on surface, roads splitting up and smoke coming out from beneath the earth. 

Whoa!! The earth is cracking open in Grindavik, Iceland, as the Fagradalsfjall volcano is on the brink of eruption.#iceland #earthquake #VOLCANOERUPTION #Grindavik #fagradalsfjall #icelandvolcano pic.twitter.com/TX47bvPk1K

— X Posterity (@NewXPosterity) November 13, 2023

 

Here's What We Know So Far On Iceland's Imminent Volcanic Eruption

Iceland Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir has sought to reassure the country nation amid an imminent fear of a volcanic eruption. According to The Guardian, the Icelandic meteorological office detected about 900 earthquakes between midnight and early afternoon on Monday between Sundhnúkur and Grindavík.

The Meteorological Office has said that there was a "significant likelihood" of an eruption in coming days which could be on or just off the Reykjanes peninsula near the capital town of Reykjavik. This is even though the size and intensity of earthquakes have been decreasing for quite some time now.

Several kilometres long queues were formed as residents of the fishing town of Grindavík were briefly allowed to return to their homes to collect essential items and belongings. According to the Independent, Icelandic police will once again close Grindavik after residents were let in for five minutes to retrieve valuables.

Local media has said that a possible eruption would wipe out the entire town. 

Michele Paulatto, a research fellow at Imperial College London said that if the magma erupts beneath the sea, it would be more explosive than if it does so on land, reported CNN. "It could become explosive if the magma interacts with seawater," he added