Iceland has declared a state of emergency after a series of powerful earthquakes rocked the country's southwestern Reykjanes peninsula, signaling the increased likelihood of a volcanic eruption in the region. Because of the strong earthquake activity at Sundhnjukagigar, north of Grindavik, the head of national police has declared a state of emergency for civil defense. According to the Icelandic Met Office (IMO), an eruption might occur "in several days". The IMO reports that 24,000 earthquakes have been recorded on the peninsula since late October, with "a dense swarm" of almost 800 quakes recorded on Friday between midnight and two pm GMT.
