Iceland declared a state of emergency on Friday, a day after a series of powerful earthquakes were reported to have hit the southwestern Reykjanes peninsula, potentially causing a volcanic eruption.
The Icelandic Met Office (IMO) reports that in the 24 hours preceding , about 1,400 earthquakes were recorded, and in the first 14 hours of Friday, another 800 were recorded.
Seven of Thursday’s earthquakes had a magnitude of four or higher; these were all on the peninsula, between the mountain Sýlingarfell, which is to the east of the Blue Lagoon, and Eldvörp, which is close to the airport.
1,400 earthquakes rattle Iceland in the past 24 hrs, as officials warn of potential volcanic eruption and declares state of emergency pic.twitter.com/nEgxj1F5r7
— LilHumansBigImpact (@BigImpactHumans) November 11, 2023
“Earthquakes can become larger than those that have occurred and this series of events could lead to an eruption,” the administration warned.
The IMO said an eruption could take place “in several days”.
Blue Lagoon, located on the Reykjanes Peninsula, is Iceland’s largest manmade geothermal mineral bath, known for its geothermal pools, scenic beauty, and mineral-rich spa with skin-healing properties. It attracts tourists with skin conditions.
The official account of Blue Lagoon Iceland on X, formerly known as Twitter, shared that the tourist spot will be closed until 7am on November 16.
