A giant crevasse was discovered on February 6 beneath the Hópur sports hall in Grindavík, reports Vísir. Concerns had been raised that the building had suffered significant damage, as cracks extend along the structure, and a sinkhole has opened in the vicinity.
Special forces entered Hópur and peeled off the artificial turf from the soccer field to examine the damages more closely, discovering a deep and wide crevasse. According to the Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management, the extent of the crack is not yet known and will be further investigated.
About 40 earthquakes have been recorded in the magma tunnel at Svartsengi since midnight. This number is similar to the last few days. Salóme Jórunn Bernhardðsdóttir, a natural hazard expert at the Icelandic Meteorological Office, says that all the earthquakes were around or below one in magnitude, and there were no changes in the area during the night.
Last week RÚV reported that land at Svartsengi is lifting up at a faster rate than before the previous erruption. According to Kristín Jónsdóttir, head of the natural hazards department at the Icelandic Met Office, this indicates that an eruption or another volcanic event could occur with little notice.
How different were the last eruptions from what the scientists had predicted? What does the future hold for Grindavík? And why are towns in Iceland built so close to volcanoes? Tune in to our recent interview with volcanologist Þorvaldur Þórðarson to find answers to these and other questions as the country anticipates how the situation will develop.
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