Iceland Hit By Swarm Of 700 Earthquakes, Fears Over Volcanic Eruption Remain

Iceland, home to highest number of active volcano systems in Europe, was hit by 700 earthquakes on Sunday. The Independent said in a report that the strongest earthquake in 48 hours was detected near the evacuated town of Grindavik on Monday morning. The Icelandic Met Office, however, warned that there is a "persistent likelihood of an imminent eruption". Iceland has been living with a high risk of an eruption since seismic activity and underground lava flows increased in the region near the capital Reykjavik in late October.

In an update posted on its website, the Icelandic Met Department said there were around 300 earthquakes on Sunday, with a "swarm" near the town which lasted just over an hour before midnight.

"On the 26th about 700 earthquakes were detected near the dike intrusion north of Grindavik," it further said.

Over the last 48 hours, the strongest quake had a magnitude of 2.7, the forecaster further said.

Residents of Grindavik were ordered to leave last month after seismic activity increased the possibility of volcanic eruption as big chasms appeared throughout the city.

"It is still dangerous here... I have never seen anything like it before. Usually we will have a few minutes warning to get out, but with the weather like it is today, we have even less," a civil protection official told The Independent.

"Everything just seems so unreal, I feel like I'm in a dystopian movie. I'm just waiting to wake up from this nightmare," Andrea, a Grindavik resident, told the outlet.

Five ministers from the Icelandic Parliament visited Grindavik on Friday, where evacuated residents were allowed to pick up more personal belongings.

But it will be months before they all are able to move back to Grindavik due to infrastructure damage, Icelandic media RUV quoted public safety director Vidir Reynisson as saying.