Iceland declares emergency over volcano eruption concerns after thousands of tremors

Iceland: Iceland has declared a state of emergency after a series of earthquakes raised fears of a volcanic eruption.

Authorities have ordered thousands living in the southwestern town of Grindavík to evacuate as a precaution.

The Icelandic Met Office (IMO) says it is concerned large amounts of magma – molten rock- is spreading underground and could surface there.

Thousands of tremors have been recorded around the nearby Fagradalsfjall volcano in recent weeks.

Iceland declared a state of emergency on Friday after a series of powerful earthquakes rocked the country’s southwestern Reykjanes peninsula, in what could be a precursor to a volcanic eruption.

“The National police chief … declares a state of emergency for civil defence due to the intense earthquake (activity) at Sundhnjukagigar, north of Grindavik,” the Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management said in a statement.

“Earthquakes can become larger than those that have occurred and this series of events could lead to an eruption,” the administration warned.

According to preliminary IMO figures, the biggest tremor had a magnitude of 5.2, north of Grindavik.

Some 24,000 tremors have been registered on the peninsula since late October, according to the IMO, with “a dense swarm” of nearly 800 quakes registered between midnight and 1400 GMT Friday.

The IMO noted an accumulation of magma underground at a depth of about five kilometres (3.1 miles). Should it start moving towards the surface it could lead to a volcanic eruption.