Greater than 130 earthquakes had been registered Tuesday at Iceland’s giant Bardarbunga volcano, a attainable precursor to an eruption among the many a number of situations being thought of, the Icelandic meteorological workplace mentioned.
The aviation shade code over the realm has been modified from inexperienced to yellow as a precaution, the met workplace mentioned, however the volcano’s distant location within the coronary heart of southern Iceland’s uninhabited highlands means no infrastructure is in danger.
The collection of seismic occasions lasted for about three hours earlier than subsiding barely, the met workplace mentioned in an announcement.
“Earthquakes proceed to be detected within the space and it’s too early to say whether or not the swarm will fade away,” it mentioned.
The most important earthquake registered a 5.1 magnitude, it mentioned, whereas 17 different earthquakes with a magnitude of three or greater had been detected, together with not less than two measuring magnitude 4 or above.
The met workplace mentioned the earthquakes had been “per elevated inflation as a result of magma accumulation” beneath Bardarbunga.
“The exercise shall be carefully monitored however it’s tough to say what the event shall be at this level,” the met workplace mentioned.
The caldera or hole of the central Bardarbunga volcano is about 25 sq. miles and ice-filled.
It’s one in all six volcanic programs situated beneath Europe’s greatest glacier Vatnajokull.
Within the occasion of a subglacial eruption, there’s a danger of an ash eruption and subglacial flooding from beneath Vatnajokull.
If an eruption had been to happen exterior the glacier, it might be a lava eruption, the met workplace defined.
“Seismic exercise has elevated in Bardarbunga in latest months,” it mentioned, with Tuesday’s earthquake swarm the most important since Bardarbunga’s final eruption in 2014-2015 which lasted six months.
BERNARD MERIC/AFP through Getty Photographs
“Bardarbunga is exclusive in that it’s an unusually giant volcanic system, partly coated by a glacier, and several other situations are attainable,” the company mentioned. “In depth analysis, together with hazard assessments and contingency planning, was performed throughout the 2014–2015 eruption, which is able to show useful ought to additional volcanic exercise happen.”
That eruption created Iceland’s greatest basalt lava move in additional than 230 years however brought on no accidents or harm.
Iceland has seen seven volcanic eruptions in a 12 months close to the southwestern fishing village of Grindavik, resulting in the evacuation of the city. After the seventh eruption, folks had been evacuated from about 50 houses in GrindavÃk, in keeping with the nation’s Civil Safety Company.Â
Iceland is residence to 33 energetic volcanic programs, greater than some other European nation.
It’s located on high of a rift between two tectonic plates, which makes the island nation susceptible to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, which have rocked parts of the nation and displaced residents in recent times.
