A volcanic eruption may occur in Iceland in the near future.
According to The Guardian, this could happen in the small town of Grindavik near the capital Reykjavik, where about 4,000 people live.
An eruption can occur within hours or days.
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Residents of the town were evacuated on the morning of November 11 after shifting magma beneath the earth's crust caused hundreds of earthquakes, a precursor to an eruption.
“We are very concerned about the condition of all the houses and infrastructure in the area,” said the head of the Icelandic Office of Civil Protection and Emergency Management, Vidir Reynisson.
The city is located 40 kilometers southwest of Reykjavik, near the Svartsengi geothermal power plant, which is the main supplier of electricity and water to the 30,000 residents of the Reykjanes Peninsula and freshwater reservoir.
Grindavik is also near the Blue Lagoon geothermal resort, a popular tourist destination that was closed due to safety concerns earlier this week.
“The magma is now at a very shallow depth, so we expect an eruption within a few hours, at least within a few days,” said Reynisson.
Volcanic eruption scenarios
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The most likely scenario for a volcanic eruption would be a crack in the ground near Grindavik.
“We have a fault about 15 kilometers long, and at any point on this fault we can see that an eruption may occur,” added the head of the Office of Civil Protection.
However, experts do not rule out an eruption on the ocean floor, which could cause a large ash cloud.
Similar eruptions have already occurred in this region.
