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2023.11.16 22:55 GMT+8

Icelandic Meteorological Office: High risk of volcanic eruption on Reykjanes

Updated 2023.11.16 22:55 GMT+8
CGTN

Earthquakes caused the road to collapse in Reykjanes, Iceland. /CMG

On November 15, the Icelandic Meteorological Office issued a bulletin stating that seismic activity on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwestern Iceland remains frequent, and the risk of an underground magma eruption is still categorized as "high."

The bulletin said that approximately 800 earthquakes have been detected in the region since the early hours of November 15, mostly occurring near Sandvík, north of the town of Grindavik on the peninsula, with depths ranging from 3 to 5 kilometers. Monitoring indicates ongoing changes in the topography, with magma continuously flowing into rock veins.

An expert from the Icelandic Meteorological Office said that the magma beneath Grindavik is estimated to be very close to the surface, at a depth of approximately 500 meters, which suggests a significant risk of eruption.

Seismic activity on the Reykjanes Peninsula intensified since the afternoon of November 10, prompting Grindavik to declare a state of emergency that evening. About 4,000 residents were urgently evacuated due to the potential threat of an underground magma eruption.

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