Emergency Evacuation of Grindavik, Iceland as Seismic Activity and Magma Corridor Move South Towards Town

Residents of Grindavik, a fishing town in southwestern Iceland, were evacuated Saturday after civil defense authorities declared a state of emergency due to increasing concern of a potential volcanic eruption.

The Icelandic Meteorological Office reported that seismic activity in the area had moved south towards the town, and monitoring indicated that a corridor of magma, or semi-molten rock, now extends under the community. The office wrote Saturday that there was a “significant likelihood of a volcanic eruption in the coming days,” but the exact site of a possible eruption was unknown.

Grindavik is located on the Reykjanes Peninsula, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) southwest of the capital, Reykjavik, and is home to 3,400 people. Police ordered the evacuation of the town as a precautionary measure, and residents were advised to stay away from the area until further notice.

The Icelandic Meteorological Office is continuing to monitor seismic activity in the area and will provide updates as the situation develops. It is unclear when residents of Grindavik will be allowed to return to their homes.