Volcano in Iceland expected to erupt soon: Town under threat of destruction
Icelandic city faces potential damage from volcanic eruption
An Icelandic town with a population of about 4,000 near the capital, Reykjavik, could be seriously damaged by a volcanic eruption expected within the next few hours or days, reports The Guardian.
The town of Grindavik on the southwest coast was evacuated early on Saturday, immediately after the underground magma movement caused hundreds of earthquakes, believed to be a precursor to the eruption.
"We are really concerned about all the houses and the infrastructure in the area," said Vidir Reynisson, head of Iceland’s Civil Protection and Emergency Management.
Grindavik is located approximately 40 kilometers southwest of Reykjavik, near the Svartsengi geothermal plant, the main supplier of electricity and water to 30,000 residents on the Reykjanes peninsula, as well as a freshwater reservoir.
The most likely scenario would be a fissure opening in the ground near Grindavik.
"We have a fissure that’s about 15 kilometers long, and anywhere on that fissure we can see that an eruption could happen," said Reynisson.
However, he does not rule out the possibility of an eruption on the ocean floor, which could likely cause a large ash cloud.
