A swarm of 20,000 earthquakes could cause Iceland’s volcanoes to erupt

More than 20,000 earthquakes jolted southern Iceland this week, shaking the capital, Reykjavik and keeping geologists on their toes as all indications point to an impending volcanic eruption, the Icelandic Met Office reported Thursday (4 March).

This week’s earthquake marathon continues the swarm of seismic activity that began on February 24, when a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck near Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula – about 20 miles (32 kilometers) from the capital.

Earthquakes ranging from magnitude 5.0 to 5.9 are considered moderate and can cause minor damage to nearby buildings, according to the Michigan Technological University. Fortunately, the epicenter was far enough from populated areas of the island that no damages or injuries were reported.

The vast majority of the thousands of earthquakes that followed the February 24 event were minor, with only two earthquakes above 5.0 recorded, according to the International Maritime Organization. However, Reykjavik residents felt trembling day after day, with “some waking up to an earthquake, others waking up to an earthquake.” [going] “To sleep with the earthquake,” Thorvaldor Thordarsson, a professor of volcanology at the University of Iceland, told the New York Times.

Thordarson added that despite the concern, there was “nothing to worry about,” as all earthquakes were minor and distant enough to leave Reykjavik unscathed. (Meanwhile, the International Maritime Organization issued a warning of an increased landslide risk in the Reykjanes Peninsula, but it had no further guidance for city dwellers.)

In the past, seismic swarms like these have been observed prior to volcanic eruptions in southern Iceland, according to the International Maritime Organization. The agency said the movement of magma at the border where tectonic plates meet in North America and Eurasia likely caused the earthquakes, which could fuel the five active volcanoes on the Reykjanes Peninsula.

If any of the volcanoes in southern Iceland blew their peaks in the coming weeks, eruptions would be predictable and manageable. According to Lorderson, volcanoes in southern Iceland experience “pulses” of activity every 800 years or so, and the last pulse occurred between the 11th and 13th centuries. He added that Iceland was “on schedule” for another eruption cycle.

Like earthquakes, these potential eruptions should pose little threat to Icelanders. Such volcanic eruptions will not look like the 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajökull volcano, which sent a plume of ash more than 5 miles (9 km) into the sky, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate and halting European air traffic for six days, according to volcanologist Dave McGarvey. Books on Conversation.

“The eruptions in southwest Iceland are of a liquid rock type called basalt,” wrote McGarvey of Lancaster University in Lancashire, England. This results in slow-moving streams of lava that feed off gently blasting pits and cones. “In Iceland, these are called” tourist eruptions “because they are Relatively safe and predictable. “

Currently, tourists entering Iceland are under a five-day quarantine period due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so volcano watchers hope to move quickly, or settle for a webcam view.

Originally published on Live Science.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos

Picture Credit!