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To keep up with the modish evolution about the Iceland eruption , check out ourlive updates Sir Frederick Handley Page .
A volcano in Iceland is now erupting after weeks of earthquake rock the region , according to astatementreleased by the Iceland Met Office ( IMO ) on Monday ( Dec. 18 ) .
The Icelandic volcano erupted following an ‘earthquake swarm.'
The extravasation is occur on the country ’s southwestern Reykjanes peninsula . About 4,000 people were evacuated from Grindavik , a fishing Ithiel Town hamlet on the peninsula , and say-so also conclude the town ’s Blue Lagoon geothermal spa , according toReuters .
" An eruption has lead off north of Grindavík , " harmonize to the Met Office ’s statement . " It can be seen on webcams and seems to be located close to Hagafell , about 3 km [ 1.8 miles ] north of Grindavík . The volcanic eruption commence at 22.17 [ 5:17 p.m. EST Eastern Time ] following the earthquake swarm that started around 21 . "
The IMO added that a coast safety eggbeater would soon take off " to confirm the exact location and size of the extravasation . "
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Hundreds of daily earthquake began rattle the realm in October , remind scientist to believe that an clap was imminent . Grindavík was antecedently unearth on Nov. 10 due to awe of an eruption . More recently , between Dec. 12 and Dec. 15 , 460 earthquake strike the area ; of these , 30 had a magnitude greater than 1.0 , harmonise to the IMO .
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Themuch - counter eruptioncomes from an underground magma burrow , or dyke , that has swelled so much it has burst up through the ground . The tremendous tunnel stretch for around 10 miles ( 16 kilometre ) from near the port Ithiel Town of Grindavík to Sundhnúk .
The dike has been tardily meet with magma over the last few weeks , ensue in tens of chiliad of earthquakes that have touch off meaning ground deformation , including sink and big route crack .
Expertsfirst became confident that the dam would erupton Nov. 10 , and the residents of Grindavík were fleetly empty .
In the observe days , officials begin work up impermanent defense to protect the nearby geothermic Svartsengi power plant , which furnish big businessman across the body politic , and the iconic Blue Lagoon tourist resort , which are settle within the volcanic eruption ’s danger geographical zone .
The eruption is part of a1,000 - year wheel of volcanic activityon Reykjanes peninsula and a sign that the orbit will likely see eruption for one C , Edward W. Marshall , a researcher at the University of Iceland ’s Nordic Volcanological Center , previously told Live Science in an electronic mail .
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