COPENHAGEN (Reuters) – Icelanders are longing for an undisturbed blind eye after tremors from tens of thousands of earthquakes rattled their sleep for weeks in what scientists call an unprecedented seismic event, which could potentially end in a spectacular volcanic eruption.
“It simply came to our notice then. It’s like walking across a fragile suspension bridge, ‘Rannveig Gudmundsdottir, a lifelong resident of the city of Grindavik, told Reuters.
Grindavik is located in the southern part of the Reykjanes Peninsula, a volcanic and seismic hotspot, where more than 40,000 earthquakes have occurred since 24 February, exceeding the total number of earthquakes recorded there last year.
Iceland, located between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates, regularly experiences earthquakes, as the plates float slowly in opposite directions at a rate of about 2 centimeters per year.
The source of earthquakes in recent weeks is a large amount of molten rock, known as magma, that moves about one kilometer (0.6 miles) below the peninsula as it tries to move to the surface.
“We have never seen so many seismic activities,” Sara Barsotti, coordinator of volcanic hazards at the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO), told Reuters.
Some of the earthquakes came to as strong as 5.7.
“Everyone here is so tired,” said Gudmundsdottir, a 5th grade teacher. “When I go to sleep at night, I just think: am I going to sleep tonight?”.
Many in Grindavik visited family members, spent time in holiday homes or even rented a hotel room in Reykjavik, the capital, just to get a break and a good night’s rest.
Authorities in Iceland warned in early March of an impending volcanic eruption on the peninsula, but said they did not expect it to disrupt international air traffic or damage critical infrastructure in the area.
Unlike the 2010 eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano, which halted about 900,000 flights and forced hundreds of Icelanders out of their homes, the eruption on the peninsula is not expected to blow much ash or smoke into the atmosphere.
Experts expect lava to erupt from the cracks in the ground, which could potentially result in spectacular lava springs, which could stretch 20 to 100 meters into the air.
Last year, authorities instituted an emergency plan for Grindavik. One option includes placing locals on boats in the North Atlantic if an eruption closes roads to the remote town.
“I trust the authorities to keep us informed and evacuate,” Gudmundsdottir said. “I’m not scared, just tired.”
Reporting by Nikolaj Skydsgaard and Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen; Edited by Emelia Sithole-Matarise