Iceland had 18,000 earthquakes last week. Most were too small to feel. The largest was a magnitude 5.6. This activity suggests that a volcano in the southwest of Iceland may erupt soon. Volcanoes in this area have been dormant for 800 years. Iceland is a volcanic island and is used to tremors. However, the recent quakes have worried people in the capital city Reykjavik. Scientists say despite the large number of quakes, there has been little damage.
Iceland sits on top of 100km-thick plates that are deep in the earth. The plates below Iceland are moving apart and pushing North America and Eurasia away from each other. A Reykjavik resident spoke about his anxiety. He said: "I have experienced earthquakes before, but never so many in a row. It is very unusual to feel the Earth shake 24 hours a day for a whole week. It makes you feel very small and powerless against nature."