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Another volcanic blast on Iceland ’s Reykjanes Peninsula is imminent , with expert predicting another crack to open in the coming days — potentially within the township of Grindavík .
Magma is once again accumulating beneath Svartsengi at a rate that could activate a new clap in the hail days , according to the Icelandic Met Office ( IMO ) .
Aerial view of a volcanic eruption on the outskirts of Grindavik in Iceland on Dec. 18, 2023.
As of Monday ( Feb. 26 ) , an estimated 268 million three-dimensional metrical foot ( 7.6 million three-dimensional time ) of molten rock sit beneath the ground 2.5 miles ( 4 kilometers ) north of the Ithiel Town of Grindavík . This amount of magma is go up tier that fueled eruptions from the same volcanoin December 2023,on Jan. 14and againon Feb. 8 .
" If you take care at the eve of previous volcanic eruptions … the probability of an eruption increase when the volume has reach 8 [ to ] 13 million cubic metre [ 283 to 459 million three-dimensional feet ] , " IMO representatives wrote in a translatedstatement . " If magma accumulation continues in the same way , the scurvy limit will be attain tomorrow . "
If an outbreak occurs , the word of advice signs are likely to be very short , IMO representatives cautioned .
An aerial view of the town of Grindavik after lava flows coursed through the town in January.
Related:‘We were very surprised ' : Magma under Reykjanes Peninsula rushed into Grindavík dike at a shockingly fast rate
" Signs that magma is have its direction to the surface would come out in sudden , localised and intense micro - seismal activity , " they wrote in the statement . " A new eruption could start with very little notice , less than 30 minutes . "
Representatives outline several possible scenario for the foretell eruption . The most potential scenario is that magma will burst out in the area between Stóra - Skógfell and Hagafell , between 3.7 and 1.2 naut mi ( 5.9 and 2 kilometre ) northeast of Grindavík , according to the program line . In this scenario , lava could reach the township in less than 4 minute .
" We are really apprehensive that if there is an eruption in the next few Clarence Shepard Day Jr. , it will be difficult to evacuate these places,“Hjördís Guðmundsdóttir , the communicating director of the Icelandic Civil Defense , told the Icelandic news websitembl.is . " We know that people are in the town and in the Blue Lagoon [ in Svartsengi ] , but we have monish whistles in place that will be blown if there is a rationality for it . "
An eruption could also come about near Sýlingarfell , 3 miles ( 4.8 km ) north-east of Grindavík . Under this scenario , lava could reach the town in less than an 60 minutes .
An outbreak could also take place within the town itself , example said . In this case , authorities would likely have between 1 and 5 hour from the first earthquakes being record and an bam direct spot .
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" There is a very in high spirits probability that there will be an outbreak next week,“Kristín Jónsdóttir , a lifelike hazards specialist with the IMO , told the Icelandic websiteVísir . " The area around Grindavík , there is a considerable risk there . "
Jónsdóttir say an volcanic eruption could pass anywhere along the magma corridor , and that the warnings of eruption are " get short and forgetful , " in some case just 30 minutes .
" If the seismal activity goes to the Confederate States of America towards Grindavík , it will take a little longer , so there will be some warning about it , " Jónsdóttir said . " But we ’re babble out about perhaps half an hour , an time of day which is very light notice , " The meteorological office staff assesses that there is considerable risk , and I would say that it is not very wise to spend the nighttime in Grindavík . "
