After Iceland shook with thousands of small earthquakes in recent days, residents are anticipating an imminent volcanic eruption. Details indicate that officials have identified the location where they believe the volcano will strike, according to the American newspaper "New York Post." The Icelandic Meteorological Office stated that there is a high probability of an eruption occurring at some point along the 9-mile (over 14 kilometers) underground magma tunnel on the Reykjanes Peninsula.
Authorities have also evacuated about 4,000 residents from the town of Grindavik, which has a fishing port located approximately 40 kilometers from the capital, after underground lava caused seismic activity in the area, signaling a potential volcanic eruption. The town's population of 3,400 residents awaits the possible eruption so they can return to their homes, although officials have clarified that it may take several months before residents are granted the green light to return.
Additionally, the nearby Blue Lagoon, one of Iceland's top tourist attractions, has been closed due to the volcanic threat, according to the Associated Press. It is noteworthy that the Reykjanes Peninsula has experienced three volcanic eruptions since 2021, after being dormant for 800 years. Last week, the U.S. Geological Survey reported that the Kilauea volcano on Big Island in Hawaii began erupting on Sunday afternoon, with lava flows currently contained to the area around the crater.
Meanwhile, the country's Prime Minister, Katrín Jakobsdóttir, reassured citizens on Saturday that no other country is better prepared than Iceland to deal with volcanoes and other natural disasters, as she expressed.
