Unprecedented Seismic Activity in Southwest Iceland: Risk of Volcanic Eruption and Evacuations

2023-11-13 12:56:00

On November 13, CCTV News announced that seismic activity in the north and northwest of Grindavík on the Reykjanes peninsula in southwest Iceland has increased significantly in recent days, and the risk of volcanic eruptions has increased. On the evening of the 11th, regarding 4,000 residents in the town of Grindavik had been evacuated.

In an interview, the local government stated that from the night of the 11th to the 12th local time, a total of 880 earthquakes were measured on the Reykjanes Peninsula. The vibrations were weaker than those recorded a few nights ago, indicating that the volcano is likely to erupt. .

Iceland, known as the Island of Ice and Fire, is located in the volcanic active zone of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. It is a country with many volcanoes and frequent geological activities. According to public information, there are 200 to 300 volcanoes in Iceland, of which 40 to 50 are active volcanoes, most of which are relatively quiet overflow volcanic activities.

Why is Iceland, with so many volcanoes, so vulnerable to this volcanic eruption? On November 13, Chao News reporters contacted two Chinese people living in Iceland to learn regarding the impact of the volcanic eruption on Icelandic residents.

The road cracks and lava rises

Magma may pass through a century-old seaside town

“There are currently no followingshocks where I live, but they are still under observation. It is said that the magma is currently observed to be closer to the surface, indicating that the volcano will erupt soon.” This year is the 14th year of Love Song (pseudonym) living in Iceland. In her memory, there were frequent volcanic eruptions in Iceland. “There was one (volcanic eruption) in July this year, but it was in a different location.”

According to reports, the Icelandic Meteorological Office issued a notice stating that more than 24,000 earthquakes have been recorded on the peninsula since late October. On the night of November 10 alone, the weather bureau measured more than 800 intensive earthquakes, the largest of which had a magnitude of 5.2. The earthquake was clearly felt in Reykjavik, the capital, regarding 40 kilometers away from the peninsula.

Liange, who is engaged in business in Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, is still living and working normally. “There is no impact on the capital, but the small town and nearby areas are affected.” Liange learned from the news that currently the main Regarding the resettlement of local evacuated residents, “I think the local government has done it in an orderly manner. Yesterday (the government) was doing the evacuation of pets, and last Friday night, it had already issued an order to evacuate local residents.”

Love Song said that the scale of the predicted volcanic eruption this time is much larger than in the past, “It is predicted to be more than 10 times larger, and volcanoes have erupted in uninhabited areas before. This time the magma will pass through residential areas, so the impact will be quite large.” of.”

A few weeks ago, Liange and her friends visited Grindavik, a seaside town with a history of more than 100 years. No matter what, this town may disappear in the future, which is quite a pity.” According to Love Song, part of the local surface has sunk by 5 meters.

Another tour guide in Iceland, Xiao Lu, told reporters that there are too many uncertainties in Iceland at present. The volcano has not erupted yet, but expert opinions and obvious signs indicate that it will erupt in a major way, and may even destroy some small towns in the southwest.

Through the aerial footage of the local news, Xiao Lu saw that around the small town of Grindavik, the lava underneath was tearing apart the ground, creating a deep hole in the green grass. The crack was still spreading, and the magma channel ran through the entire small town.

Cracked Road Source: Interviewee

Xiao Lu said that a large amount of lava is currently rising. The road section near Blue Lake is seriously bulging and cracking. Some road sections have been closed. People have been evacuated from the town, and pets and poultry are also being evacuated. The national rescue team They were all mobilized.

The whole country prays

Please be cautious when traveling to Iceland in the near future

“Natural disasters are merciless, but there is love in the world.” Xiao Lu said that in the past few days, the whole country of Iceland has been praying, hoping to avert danger. Roads were cracked and homes were damaged. Although it was heartbreaking, people in churches were hugging each other and comforting each other. Residents in various urban areas were willing to allocate empty rooms to invite evacuated residents to live together. The government also opened an aid station.

On social media, several Chinese bloggers in Iceland reported that they were safe, saying that their capital, Reykjavik, was not in a danger zone and had not been affected for the time being. Normally, tourists generally don’t go to small towns in the Southwest.

Recently, affected by the volcanic forecast, some netizens posted their air tickets to Iceland at the end of the month. The airline has issued a reminder: Considering the possibility of an Icelandic volcanic eruption, it may affect the normal departure of flights.

Currently, Icelandic airports are still operating normally, and the government has not closed entry to Iceland. Xiao Lu also issued a reminder: “Chinese friends who have come to Iceland recently, please pay attention to the development of the volcano. Safety first, it is best to wait for clarity before making a decision.”

Love Song also advises tourists to be cautious, “because Iceland’s only international airport is very close to Grindavik, only 36 kilometers away. The volcanic ash caused by the volcano may cause the plane to be unable to fly.” Love Song said that the volcanic eruption point is only 36 kilometers away from the famous Blue Lagoon in Iceland. 5 kilometers, the attraction is currently closed.

As early as November 8, the Chinese Embassy in Iceland issued an announcement to remind Chinese citizens in Iceland to pay attention to earthquake and volcanic activities. The announcement stated that Icelandic geophysicists said that there are signs that large-scale earthquakes and volcanic eruptions may occur in the area in the near future. Among them, three hotels near the Blue Lagoon, Svartsengi Power Plant, Northern Light Inn, Silica-hotel Bláa lónin and Retreat Bláa lónin are in danger of being swallowed by magma. The Ice Civil Protection Department has formulated an emergency evacuation plan for residents in the area near the Blue Lagoon and the town of Grindavik, and the risk level in the area near Grindavik has increased.

Editor: Bao Piao

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