The Icelandic authorities have put the country on alert after the thousands of earthquakes recorded in recent days and signs of magma moving underground.

The authorities announced that they are preparing for a possible explosion of Fagrandalsfial volcano in the southwest of the island – on the Reykian peninsula – within the coming days and ordered the evacuation of Grindavika seaside town and fishing center, about 3,000 inhabitants.

“The possibility of an eruption has increased since this morning and an eruption may start at any time within the next few days,” Iceland’s Meteorological Service announced yesterday.

The magma is estimated to have been at a depth of less than 800 meters late last night, down from the 1,500 meters measured earlier.

Iceland

In recent years there have been several volcanic eruptions in uninhabited areas of the Reykjanes Peninsula. The next one is estimated to start from the underwater area southwest of Grindavik.

On Thursday, due to increased seismic activity, the Blue Lagoon geothermal spring, one of the island’s most important tourist attractions, was closed.

In Reykjavík, southwest of the capital Reykjavík, there are frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. In March 2021 a lava fountain erupted spectacularly from a 500-750 meter long fissure in the area of ​​the Fagrandalsfial volcanic system.

Volcanic activity continued for six months that year and in August 2022 there was another eruption that lasted three weeks.