After 800 earthquakes in 14 hours, Iceland declares state of emergency, closes Blue Lagoon: Report

Iceland has declared a state of emergency after a series of earthquakes raised fears of a volcanic eruption in southwestern town of Grindavík.

Thousands of tremors have been recorded around the nearby Fagradalsfjall volcano in recent weeks. The local authorities have issued evacuation orders for thousands living in the southwestern town of Grindavík to evacuate as a precaution, AFP reported on Saturday.

"The National police chief ... declares a state of emergency for civil defence due to the intense earthquake (activity) at Sundhnjukagigar, north of Grindavik," the Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management said in a statement.

Iceland, which came under focus for the Eyjafjallajokull eruption in 2010 that disrupted air travel, is at present facing the potential impact of another eruption on its infrastructure and populated areas.

According to the Icelandic Met Office, around 1,400 earthquakes were measured in the 24 hours between Wednesday and Thursday, with another 800 in the first 14 hours of Friday. Following this, on Thursday, the authorities closed the nearby Blue Lagoon landmark due to increased seismic activity. 

Blue Lagoon is a popular tourist destination located near Grindavik known for its geothermal spas and luxury hotels. 

The IMO said it is concerned that large amounts of magma - molten rock- are spreading underground and could surface there.

Iceland's Civil Protection Agency said the decision to evacuate came after the IMO could not rule out a "magma tunnel that is currently forming could reach Grindavík".

The agency said people must leave the town, but also emphasised it was not an "emergency evacuation" - calling on them to "remain calm, because we have a good amount of time to react".

"The amount of magma involved is significantly more than what was observed in the largest magma intrusions associated with the eruptions at Fagradalsfjall," the IMO said.

Most roads into the town of around 4,000 people are closed other than for emergencies, to ensure traffic can get in and out.

Iceland is one of the most active regions in the world, with around 30 active volcanic sites. In July, Litli-Hrutur, or Little Ram, erupted in the Fagradalsfjall area, drawing tourists to the site of the "world's newest baby volcano". The site was dormant for eight centuries until eruptions in 2021, 2022 and 2023.