Growing seismic activity in Iceland has raised the alarm about an imminent volcanic eruption, and although it is difficult to predict the exact moment when this might happen, authorities have said that it could be a matter of days.

Officials warned that although eruption could be bigis a highly localized event.

“We believe that the likelihood of an eruption remains. In recent eruptions, we have seen that it is when this movement (of magma) begins to decrease that the moment of eruption approaches,” Kristin Jonsdottir, head of disaster monitoring at the IMO, told public television RUV today.

Until Wednesday, November 15th 800 earthquakes were registered.and increasing levels of sulfur dioxide (SO2) measured in the atmosphere suggest it is moving closer to the surface.

Most of the earthquakes were recorded at the center of the volcanic dam in Sundhnuk. depth from 3 to 5 kilometersThe Icelandic Meteorological Office said in its latest report, highlighting that activity has remained “consistent” since last Friday.

Alarm about an eruption forced authorities to evacuate residents of Grindavik, a fishing town in 3400 inhabitants which is located on the Reykjanes Peninsula, approximately 50 km southwest of the capital Reykjavik.

The evacuation came after hundreds of small earthquakes rocked the region every day for more than two weeks, while scientists watched magma build up at a depth of about 5 kilometers.

That’s when the power went up the aviation readiness level turned orange, indicating an increased risk of a volcanic eruption. Volcanic eruptions pose a serious threat to aviation as they can remove very abrasive ash which could result in aircraft engine failure, damage to flight control systems and reduced visibility.

The police this Thursday allowed a new group of residents to enter Grindavik, evacuated from the weekend to pack your things.

Icelandic authorities began construction this week protective dams against lava with a height of 6 to 8 meters, around the nearby Swartzengi power station and the Blue Lagoon, a famous geothermal resort located in the area whose closure has been extended until at least November 30.

construction works can last from 30 to 40 daysThis was reported by the Icelandic digital media Visir.

Iceland is a volcanic island located in the North Atlantic with a population of approximately 370,000 inhabitants and an area of ​​over 100,000 square kilometers.

With agency information