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Iceland: 1,485 Quakes In 48 Hrs; Why Is The Country Experiencing Such Intense Seismic Activity?

by Tooba Shaikh
Iceland: 1,485 Quakes In 48 Hrs; Why Is The Country Experiencing Such Intense Seismic Activity?

Iceland is currently undergoing an emergency as it witnessed close to 1,500 quakes in the last 48 hours. Experts have warned that such unprecedented seismic activity could trigger a volcanic eruption and destroy the nearby town of Grindavik. However, officials have devised an evacuation plan and will act on it. Here are all the details that you need to know about the state of emergency that is currently going on in Iceland.

Iceland Experiences As Many As 1,485 Quakes In 48 Hours

On Friday, Iceland declared a state of emergency as it was ricked by close to 1,500 earthquakes. The biggest one so far was of 5.2 magnitudes on the Richter Scale. Such an unprecedented seismic activity was brought on by magma intrusion. An intrusion is formed when magma cools and solidifies before reaching the surface of the Earth.

According to an article by National Geographic, if the pressure on the magma chamber is intense, then the rock around it may fracture. These fractures or fissures are often viewed as a telltale sign of a volcano. This might also explain why experts have warned that the seismic activity recently experienced by Iceland might result in a volcanic eruption.

The Blue Lagoon, a famous geothermal spa in Iceland, has proactively taken the decision to temporarily suspend operations for a week. In addition to this, the police have also closed a road which ran north-south to Grindavik. Almost all of the earthquakes are less than 4 magnitudes. Around 150 earthquakes were recorded in just an hour!

Also Read: Looking For An Adventure? Dive Into This 700-Ft Icelandic Volcano For An Epic Adrenaline Rush!

Experts Fear Destruction Of Grindavik; Evacuation Ordered

Grindavik, which is located close to Reykjavik which is the capital of Iceland, has a population of more than 4,000 has been evacuated. It is feared that the volcanic eruption might destroy the town. The social media, too, has been swarmed with photos and videos of tremors and cracks that appeared in various parts around Grindavik.

According to an article recently published by the Hindustan Times, as many as 24,000 tremors have been recorded on the peninsula since late in October. According to experts, it will take days for the magma accumulation to move to the surface, not hours. Even then, many help centres and emergency shelters have been set up to assist those in need.

The peninsula also houses the Svartsengi geothermal plant which provides water and electricity to around 30,000 residents. The officials have also devised a plan to protect the plant should it come under the purview of danger.

Also Read: Have You Ever Seen A Baby Volcano? Earth’s Newest Baby Volcano Has Now Erupted In Iceland

Have you ever heard of such a phenomenon before? Do you know anybody who lives in Iceland? How are they managing to cope with the situation? Let us know in the comments section below!

Cover Image Credits: @volcaholic1/X (Formerly, Twitter)

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