Volcanic eruption looms in Iceland after 18,000 earthquakes struck over the past week
03/16/2021 / By Virgilio Marin
A volcanic eruption looms in Iceland after more than 18,000 earthquakes struck the island country over the past week. From Wednesday to Thursday morning alone, the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) detected around 3,300 earthquakes.
The earthquake swarm centers around Reykjanes Peninsula, a densely populated region south of Iceland’s capital Reykjavik. Authorities now expect one of two volcanoes in the peninsula, Mount Keilir and Mount Fagradalsfjall, to erupt in the next few days, which would be the first in the region in 800 years.
Earthquake swarm forbodes volcanic eruption
The swarm started on Feb. 24 with a 5.7 magnitude earthquake, the largest to date, and several rumblers followed since. Authorities are currently analyzing sensor and satellite-based monitoring data to determine the cause of the swarm. But most suspect that an intrusion of magma into Earth’s crust has been driving the event.
https://www.climate.news/2021-03-16-volcanic-eruption-looms-in-iceland-after-18000-earthquakes-struck-over-the-past-week.html#