Icelandic volcano threatens to destroy town: Experts

REYKJAVIK — An Icelandic town home to about 4,000 people near the capital Reykjavik risks being heavily damaged by a volcano expected to erupt within hours or days, experts say.

The town of Grindavik on the southwestern coast was evacuated early on Saturday after magma shifting under the Earth's crust caused hundreds of earthquakes in what was believed to be a precursor to an eruption.

"We are really concerned about all the houses and the infrastructure in the area," Agence France-Presse quoted Vidir Reynisson, head of Iceland's Civil Protection and Emergency Management, as saying.

The town, about 40 kilometers southwest of Reykjavik, is near the Svartsengi geothermal plant, the main supplier of electricity and water to 30,000 residents on the Reykjanes peninsula, as well as a freshwater reservoir.

Grindavik is also near the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa resort, a popular tourist destination that closed as a precaution recently.

"The magma is now at a very shallow depth, so we're expecting an eruption within a couple of hours at the shortest, but at least within a couple of days," Reynisson said.

The most likely scenario would be a fissure opening in the ground near Grindavik.

"We have a fissure that's about 15 kilometers long, and anywhere on that fissure we can see that an eruption could happen," Reynisson said.

However, he did not rule out the possibility of an eruption on the ocean floor, which would probably cause a large ash cloud.

"It's not the most likely scenario, but we can't rule it out because the end of the … fissure goes into the sea."

The quakes and ground lift caused by the magma intrusion have damaged roads and buildings in Grindavik and its surroundings.

Iceland, which has 33 active volcanic systems, declared a state of emergency and ordered the mandatory evacuation of Grindavik.

Emergency shelters and help centers have opened in several nearby towns, but most Grindavik residents were staying with friends or relatives, media reported.

Three eruptions have taken place on the Reykjanes peninsula in recent years near the Fagradalsfjall volcano: in March 2021, August 2022 and this July, all far from any infrastructure or populated areas.

Agencies Via Xinhua