More than 20,000 separate tremors have been recorded over the past week in Iceland in what experts said could be a sign of a major volcanic eruption ahead.
Residents woke up to shaking Monday, amid warnings that the shaking could be a build up to a major geological event.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said that series of small earthquakes, which is referred to as a swarm by volcanologists, could continue for days, months, or even years. The agency said that most of the tremors occurred in the Southern Peninsula just south of the capital city of Reykjavik, where two-thirds of the country's population lives.
The USGS said that most of the earthquakes had a magnitude of 3.0 or less. However, some of them had reached as high as 5.2 on the Richter scale. The constant tremors have caused some damage, including small cracks in roads and houses and several isolated landslides.
Iceland typically experiences tremors all year round as it is was originally formed by volcanic activity from the separation of tectonic plates. The country has dozens of volcanoes, lava fields, and hot springs.
Residents have expressed concerns over the continued quakes, with some stating that the constant tremors have become "unsettling."
"Of course it worries people. For this region, this is actually fairly unusual, not because of the type of earthquakes or their intensity, but for their duration. It's been going for more than a week now," volcanologists at the University of Iceland said.
Volcanologists said that the constant tremors are likely caused by the intrusion of magma into the planet's crust. They said that they are still trying to determine if the magma is moving closer to the surface.
The country's southwestern peninsula is home to several volcanoes, including Mount Keilir. The volcano is located just 20 miles south of Reykjavik. Local officials said that they are worried that the tremors could be a sign that a major eruption will occur.
Officials from the Icelandic Meteorological Office said that they are unsure if the tremors will lead to an eruption, but the type of activity that has been recorded is typical in the run-up to an eruption.
If an eruption does occur, it would be the first one in the region to occur in more than 800 years.
