The awakening volcano Fagradalsfjall on the Reykjanes Peninsula, the youngest part of Iceland, threatens to wipe out the city of Grindavik, reports the Daily Mail.
According to experts, in the last 24 hours alone, about 2,800 tremors with a magnitude of no higher than 3.0 have been recorded on the peninsula. At the same time, a corridor approximately 15 kilometers long has formed under the city, into which hot magma seeps. Deep cracks that were formed as a result of earthquakes now run through the entire city.
“The magma is now at a very shallow depth, so we expect an eruption in the next two days,” experts say.
At the same time, experts believe that a breakthrough could occur anywhere in the corridor; there is a high probability that it will happen somewhere in the Grindavik area.
The volcanic eruption is expected to last a week, putting the city’s infrastructure and population at great risk.
According to the portal, at the moment all roads leading to the island are closed, only the roads to the airport remain open.
The police evacuated the city residents in advance. They were given just 15 minutes to collect essentials and pick up their pets.
“The thought that we may never see our home again is very difficult. But the situation at the moment is quite grim. We are dealing with events that we Icelanders have not experienced before, at least after the Vestmannaeyjar eruption. But we do not lose heart and will overcome everything together,” say the locals.