An Icelandic city is "sinking" and may be moments away from a tragedy
Iceland is bracing for a volcanic eruption, with increased activity from the Fagradalsfjall volcano registering. On Saturday, experts recorded up to a thousand tremors, leading to property damage such as splitting houses and collapsing roads.
2:37 PM EST, November 16, 2023
The Icelandic city appears to be "sinking" due to the recent activity from the Fagradalsfjall volcano on the Reykjanes peninsula. The city's ground is sinking, causing buildings to crack and roads to crumble. Local experts caution the possibility of lava flowing from the fractures for weeks. Notably, the Reykjanes Peninsula has already experienced 400 earthquakes, as reported by Dailymail.
Magma is accumulating just a few hundred yards beneath the surface. All residents of the city of Grindavik — located near the volcano — have been evacuated. This community of an approximate 3,000 people faces the greatest risk of damage. A fast-rising river of magma beneath the ground is a significant threat. At the weekend's start, the lava was about a mile beneath the city's surface, and within a couple of days, it had already risen to half a mile below the surface.
"The magma quickly made its way beneath Grindavik, akin to an 'underground freight train'," commented Matthew James Roberts, the director of the Icelandic Meteorological Office.
Experts are alerting that the volcano could erupt at any moment. As per James Roberts's analysis, even if there isn't an explosion, lava could continue to flow from the fractures for weeks and possibly reach Grindavik.
In preparation for a potential eruption, construction of a protective wall is underway. This barrier aims to prevent lava streams from reaching both the city and the adjacent geothermal power plant, according to Dailymail.