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Seismic activity in southwestern Iceland has seen a decrease in size and intensity on Monday, but the risk of a volcanic eruption remains significant. Almost 4,000 people were evacuated over the weekend due to the threat of molten rock rising to the Earth’s surface and potentially impacting a coastal town and a geothermal power station.
Located between the Eurasian and the North American tectonic plates, Iceland is known for being a seismic and volcanic hot spot. The Icelandic Meteorological Office stated that there is a “significant likelihood” of an eruption in the coming days, despite a decrease in the size and intensity of earthquakes. Matthew James Roberts, director of the service and research division at the meteorological office, shared that they believe the intrusion is “literally hovering, sitting in equilibrium now just below the earth’s surface,” increasing uncertainty about the possibility and impact of an eruption.
Thorvaldur Thordarson, a professor in vulcanology at the University of Iceland, stated that recent data has indicated a smaller risk of an eruption in the area around the town of Grindavik. The town’s residents described being shaken from their homes in the early hours of Saturday as the ground shook and buildings suffered structural damage.
Almost all of the town’s 3,800 inhabitants have found accommodation with family members or friends, with only between 50 and 70 people staying at evacuation centers. The Reykjanes peninsula, where the seismic and volcanic activity is occurring, is southwest of the capital and has seen eruptions in recent years.
Despite authorities’ efforts to contain the situation, the situation has left Iceland and its inhabitants in a state of uncertainty and concern over a potential eruption. There is a sense of unease and the atmosphere is tense as people wait and watch the movements under the Earth’s surface, wondering what will happen next.
