VOLCANO PANIC
Brit caught up in Iceland volcano evacuation films house violently shaking as huge lava pool under town ‘ready to blow’
A BRITISH woman filmed her boyfriend's house shaking before they were forced to flee over fears a volcano is about to erupt under a town in Iceland.
Caitlin McLean, from Scotland, was visiting her boyfriend Gisli Gunnarsson when a series of earthquakes led to the evacuation of 3,000 people from Grindavik.
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Authorities say a massive chamber of magma, or semi-molten rock, flowing under the town could lead to a devastating eruption at any moment.
Police evacuated Grindavik after the region was rocked by 1,000 earthquakes close to the Fagradalsfjall volcano earlier this week.
Ms McLean, 34, captured the moment the furniture and light fixtures shook violently in Mr Gunnarsson's home on Friday.
The couple packed only a few essential items to stay with Mr Gunnarsson's mother in Reykjavik.
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"At around four on Friday, (the earthquakes) just started being non-stop. Just constant big quakes for hours," Mr Gunnarsson, 29, told PA.
Ms McLean, an artist, said the situation has been "difficult" for people to understand.
"I think everyone's still a wee bit shocked and it's not really sinking in there is a possibility they're not going to be able to go home," she said.
Ms McLean urged volcano enthusiasts to avoid the area and "be respectful" to people whose homes have been affected
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"They're trying to keep tourists away because there's been people already trying to fly drones over the town.
"I understand for a lot of people this is a big spectacle, but these people are losing their homes potentially, so just to be respectful."
Mr Gunnarsson said the earthquakes on Friday were the worst he has experienced.
"Not even the search and rescue are really going (to the town) at the moment.
"The uncertainty is too high and it's ready to pop at any moment, the eruption," he said.
The Blue Lagoon geothermal spa, one of Iceland's biggest tourist attractions, said it would close until November 16 due to the risk of an eruption.
It's feared that a catastrophic eruption could be imminent following the seismic activity three miles below the ground's surface.
Iceland declared a statement of emergency earlier this week, two years after a previous explosion that led to months-long disaster.
Professor of volcanology at the University of Iceland Thor Thordason said a nine-mile-long river of magma running beneath the ground's surface was active.
He said this could easily result in a devastating eruption in or near Grinadvik.
"That's why we're talking about an imminent eruption unfortunately," he told the BBC.
"The most likely eruption side appears to be within the boundary of the town of Grinadvik."
The volcano had been dormant for over 800 years prior to its eruption two years ago, which lasted for six months.
New fissures formed within weeks and new vents started to open while others became inactive.
At one point, six craters were erupting simultaneously.
A second eruption then happened on August 3, 2022, before a third took place on July 10, 2023.
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There are now fears that a fourth is on the way after recent rumblings and 1,400 seismic shifts in the past week alone.
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