Thousands of minor earthquakes in a short period of time have raised fears of a possible volcanic eruption in Iceland.

A state of uncertainty has been declared for the Reykjanes peninsula since there are indications that magma has begun flowing faster to the northwest of Mt. Þorbjörn. Þorbjörn, a volcanic mountain, is only a 40-minute drive from the capital, Reykjavik.

The heightened geological activity led to the famed Blue Lagoon being closed as a precaution. On Thursday, the Blue Lagoon, a geothermal spa located in southwestern Iceland, near the town of Grindavik, announced that it would close the site until 16 November out of concern for employees' welfare.

Ingibjorg Lilja Omarsdottir of the Icelandic Civil Protection Agency has been posted to the nearby town of Grindavik to prepare for a potential evacuation of the town.

She said there was no imminent need for evacuation but that local authorities were prepared in the event of "magma appearing to rise to the surface". Besides, she stressed that there was no risk of another massive explosion comparable to the eruption of Eyjafjallajokull in 2010, which shut down northern European airspace for days.

Source: BBC

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