GRINDAVIK, Iceland – Dozens of earthquakes shook the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland on Saturday as officials warned that the odds of a volcanic eruption had increased.
The Icelandic Met Office has recorded a swarm of temblors over the past two days in an area on the southwestern side of the island that has been active for months.
Officials issued an Orange alert for the Reykjanes region, noting that an intrusion of magma had started just east of the town of Sýlingafell. According to RUV, an Iceland news agency, officials believe that is where an eruption is most likely to occur.
RUV reported that evacuations have been ordered for the nearby towns of Grindavík and Svartsengi. The Blue Lagoon, a popular tourist attraction in the area, has also been evacuated.
If an eruption were to occur, it would be the fourth eruption since the end of 2023, with the first occurring on Dec. 18, the second on Jan. 14 and the third on Feb. 8.
Grindavík residents have been evacuated several times since the activity started late last year.
No injuries have been reported from any of the eruptions, but lava flows destroyed some homes during the eruption on Jan. 14.