State of emergency enacted in Iceland. Volcanic eruption near Reykjavik
Volcanic activity is rapidly increasing across Europe, causing widespread concern. A state of emergency has recently been declared in Iceland, and threatened locales are being evacuated. There is growing unease in Italy over the escalating activity of some of the country's most notable volcanic hills.
5:03 PM EST, November 13, 2023
The Fagradalsfjall volcano has been posing the biggest challenge. With constant rumbling since mid-October, it has been stirring a significant level of anxiety amongst local residents. Authorities have taken action to evacuate the city of Grindavik and declare a state of emergency in the region.
While Icelandic officials are keen to assert that this is standard procedure, memories of the communication disruption following the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano are still fresh in people's minds. The direction of the expected eruption of Fagradalsfjall remains uncertain.
The inhabitants of Iceland have fondly nicknamed this volcano "Kraken". A notable post about its activity was recently published on its Twitter profile.
The Kraken is awakening - wrote the profile's administrator.
Italy Braces for Potential Etna Eruption
Just last Sunday, Etna displayed its highest activity in five years. Images reminiscent of disaster films have been circulating in worldwide media, showcasing the impressive magma and volcanic ash emissions.
Although the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology has not elevated the hazard level as of now, the local population is apprehensively monitoring the famous volcano's increasing activity.
Concerns heighten among Italians as the possibility looms that a potential eruption of Etna may coincide with that of Stromboli, which was active just a year ago.
Experts advise that active volcanoes should always be treated with respect. The history of Eyjafjallajökull serves as a stark reminder: initially downplayed by experts, its 2010 eruption significantly disrupted air transport across Europe. This had a considerable impact on several events, including the organization of Lech and Maria Kaczyński's funeral.
