Nearly a month since the first signs that Iceland’s Fagradalsfjall volcano could erupt, an expert says fewer earthquakes suggest it’s about to blow.
Or there could be ‘no eruption’ at all, Bill McGuire, professor emeritus of geophysical and climate hazards at the UCL, told Metro.co.uk. The jury is out.
With officials saying the blast could occur with just ’30 minutes’ notice’, McGuire said the blast would be akin to a ‘fountain of lava’.
The Rekyjanes Peninsula just days ago saw up to 1,500 daily tremors, but the number has since dropped to less than 200.
Even as the Icelandic Met Office says this may be down to adverse weather affecting equipment, officials say the ‘chances of an unannounced eruption are smaller’.
The threat level in Grindavik has been lowered though locals are still unlikely to return home for ‘months’.
Underground magma continues to cause the ground to swell in Svartsengi as officials race to build walls to protect it from lava.
Travel advice from the Foreign Office remains unchanged, with tourists urged to check official guidance over whether it is safe to travel.