NOV 11, 2023 : Iceland declared a’state of emergency’ on Friday after a series of small and medium-sized earthquakes jolted the country’s southwest Reykjanes peninsula. Iceland’s authorities warned in an official statement that the seismic activity could lead to volcanic eruptions in the country. According to Iceland’s Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management, “the National police chief… declares a state of emergency for civil defence due to the intense earthquake (activity) at Sundhnjukagigar, north of Grindavik.” “Earthquakes can become larger than those that have already occurred, and this series of events could lead to an eruption,” the administration added in the statement. The Icelandic Met Office (IMO) stated that volcanic eruptions in Iceland could occur “in a matter of days.”Around 4,000 small to medium intensity earthquakes struck the southwest Reykjanes peninsula on Friday. According to preliminary IMO data, the largest tremor had a magnitude of 5.2 and occurred north of Grindavik, a village on Iceland’s Reykjanes peninsula. According to the IMO, 24,000 tremors have been recorded on the peninsula since late October, with “a dense swarm” of nearly 800 quakes registered between midnight and 2 p.m. GMT Friday. The Blue Lagoon geothermal spa, one of Iceland’s most popular tourist attractions, has been temporarily closed due to the possibility of eruptions.
