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Iceland is preparing for a possible volcanic eruption following a series of around 800 earthquakes in 14 hours. While fears around the impending eruption are high, a sinkhole has now been discovered under an Iceland town that was evacuated over the weekend. The discovery of this sinkhole has sparked fears that a massive volcanic eruption was on its way.

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Volcanologist Thorvaldur Þórðarson told Iceland's local Channel 2 Evening News that the metre-deep sinkhole formed in Grindavík indicated that the magma tunnel, formed under the town, was very close to the surface and that the eruption would occur within the town limits.

“It indicates that it will soon erupt and that, unfortunately, indicates that the eruption will occur within the town limits of Grindavík,” Þorvaldur told Icelandic media on Sunday.

“It’s a darker scenario than I had imagined.”

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Nearly 3,000 residents of the Iceland town were evacuated over the weekend after a series of earthquakes ignited fears of volcanic eruption.

The Icelandic Meteorological Office on Saturday (Nov 11) said there was a “considerable” risk of an eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula, taking into consideration the size of the underground magma intrusion and the rate at which it was moving. 

Also read: Over 20,000 tremors since late Oct: Iceland declares state of emergency over volcanic eruption threat

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“I don’t think it’s long before an eruption, hours or a few days. The chance of an eruption has increased significantly,” Thorvaldur Thordarson, professor of volcanology at the University of Iceland, told state broadcaster RUV.

Iceland declares state of emergency 

Authorities in Iceland on Friday (Nov 10) declared a state of emergency after a series of powerful earthquakes rocked the country's southwestern Reykjanes peninsula. 

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

The administration further warned that an eruption could take place "in several days" as it said that "earthquakes can become larger than those that have occurred and this series of events could lead to an eruption". 

(With inputs from agencies)