11 November 2023 , 10:00
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Iceland has announced a state of emergency after a string of earthquakes sparked fears of a volcanic eruption - causing thousands of people to evacuate.
Authorities ordered locals to move out of the southwestern town of Grindavík as a precautionary measure after an alarming amount of tremors were recently detected around the Fagradalsfjall volcano, which is close to the area.
The Icelandic Met Office (IMO) turned its focus to huge amounts of magma after becoming concerned that it was spreading underground and could surface. Earlier this week, authorities were forced to shut down the popular Blue Lagoon landmark following an increase in seismic activity in the area.
Authorities have been monitoring the area (Getty Images)It has been reported that more than 20,000 tremors have been identified in southwest Iceland since the end of last month. Iceland's Civil Protection Agency confirmed they told residents to leave the area after the IMO couldn't eliminate that the "magma tunnel that is currently forming could reach Grindavík", reports BBC. On Friday, the agency released a statement about the evacuation but stressed that it was not an "emergency evacuation" and told residents to "remain calm, because we have a good amount of time to react".
The statement added: There is no immediate danger imminent, the evacuation is primarily preventive with the safety of all Grindavík residents as the principal aim." The IMO warned that "significant changes have occurred in the seismic activity" and stressed that tremors had moved closer to Grindavík throughout the day. The authority added: "The amount of magma involved is significantly more than what was observed in the largest magma intrusions associated with the eruptions at Fagradalsfjall." Back in the summer, Litli-Hrutur, or Little Ram, erupted in the Fagradalsfjall area, which attracted tourists to visit the "world's newest baby volcano". It has been reported that the area had remained dormant for eight centuries until eruptions occurred in in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
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