Magma in Iceland is approaching the Earth’s surface – the chance of an eruption remains high. A bomb ticks under the feet of hundreds of thousands of people

The magma on Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula, which is threatened by a volcanic eruption, has worked its way further to the Earth’s surface.

The liquid rock is probably still at a depth of about 500 meters, Benedikt Ófeigsson of the Icelandic Meteorological Service said on Wednesday, as broadcaster RUV reported. An increasing sulfur dioxide content in the air also indicates this development.

Police allowed other residents to briefly return to the evacuated town of Grindavík to take belongings. Only people who had failed to enter the city during similar actions on Monday and Tuesday and who had now been personally approached by the police were allowed to return.

Grindavík is located about 40 kilometers southwest of the capital Reykjavik and has been threatened by a possible volcanic eruption for days. The approximately 3,700 residents had to leave their homes on Saturday night because an approximately 15 kilometer long magma tunnel runs to the seabed under Grindavík. The nearby Blue Lagoon, one of Iceland’s most famous tourist attractions, was previously closed.

The weather service recorded more than 800 earthquakes from midnight to noon on Wednesday. This is not a significant change from the day before, Ófeigsson explains.

However, the earthquakes are significantly weaker than Friday. Part of the magma tunnel appears to be solidifying, especially at the edges. However, more magma flows. The chance of an outbreak is still high.

(yam/sda/dpa)