Two powerful earthquakes occurred at about 1730 GMT, rattling windows and household items as far away as Reykjavik, the country's capital, which is located about 40 kilometres distant.
A state of emergency was declared by Iceland on Friday following a slew of strong earthquakes that shook the southwest Reykjanes peninsula of the nation, perhaps signalling the start of a volcanic eruption.
"The National police chief ... declares a state of emergency for civil defence due to the intense earthquake (activity) at Sundhnjukagigar, north of Grindavik," the Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management said in a statement.
According to the Icelandic Met Office, there have been almost 24,000 recorded tremors on the peninsula since late October, with "a dense swarm" of about 800 quakes recorded on Friday between midnight and 1400 GMT. On Thursday, the increased seismic activity in the area prompted the closure of the nearby Blue Lagoon landmark.
According to the IMO, an eruption can occur "in several days".
About 4,000 people live in the village of Grindavik, which is three kilometres (1.86 miles) southwest of the location where Friday's seismic activity was detected. In the event of an eruption, plans for evacuation are in place. To ensure that vehicles can enter and exit the town, all routes leading there are closed unless in cases of emergency.
Two powerful earthquakes occurred at about 1730 GMT, rattling windows and household items as far away as Reykjavik, the country's capital, which is located about 40 kilometres distant.
The largest earthquake, north of Grindavik, had a magnitude of 5.2, according to preliminary IMO data.
A subsurface magma accumulation was observed by the IMO at a depth of approximately five kilometres (3.1 miles). If it were to begin rising to the surface, it could lead to a volcanic eruption.
When and how does a volcano erupt?
Volcanic eruptions happen when magma rises to the surface of the earth from deep below. Magma is lighter than the surrounding solid rock. With almost thirty active volcanic sites, Iceland is among the most geographically active places in the globe.
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 "800 quakes in 14 hours, 24,000 tremors: Iceland declares state of emergency over volcanic eruption")
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