Iceland braces for volcanic eruption

Iceland is on high alert due to an imminent volcanic eruption, according to the experts the eruption can take place within hours or days. Residents of a fishing town in southwestern Iceland left their homes Saturday after increasing concern about a potential volcanic eruption caused civil defense authorities to declare a state of emergency in the region. Police decided to evacuate Grindavik after recent seismic activity in the area moved south toward the town and monitoring indicated that a corridor of magma, or semi-molten rock, now extends under the community, Iceland’s Meteorological Office said. Authorities also raised their aviation alert to orange, indicating an increased risk of a volcanic eruption. The evacuation comes after the region was shaken by hundreds of small earthquakes every day for more than two weeks.