Iceland evacuates town and raises aviation alert as concerns rise a volcano may erupt

LONDON (AP) — Residents of a fishing town in southwestern Iceland have left their homes after increasing concern about a potential volcanic eruption caused civil defense authorities to declare a state of emergency in the region. Iceland’s Meteorological Office says police decided to evacuate Grindavik after recent seismic activity in the area moved south toward the town. Monitoring indicated that a corridor of magma, or semi-molten rock, now extends under the community. The town of 3,400 is on the Reykjanes Peninsula, about 31 miles southwest of the capital, Reykjavik. Authorities also raised an aviation alert to orange, indicating an increased risk of an eruption. A major eruption in Iceland in 2010 caused widespread disruption to air travel between Europe and North America.