Another volcanic eruption in Iceland
And once again, the earth spews fire. It has been five weeks since the last volcanic eruption in Iceland, and now a new eruption is reported in the southwest of the country. Several hundred people have been evacuated.
For the fourth time in four months, a volcano has erupted in the same region in Iceland. The vivid red eruption near the coastal town of Grindavík was visible from the capital city of Reykjavik to the northeast, as shown in photos on the RÚV broadcaster’s website. The popular tourist destination, the Blue Lagoon thermal spa located near the Sylingarfell, had to be cleared out. Approximately 700 people have been brought to safety. Even a few residents who had temporarily returned to Grindavík should be evacuated from the city for safety reasons. They had to leave Grindavík after the last eruption five weeks ago. However, there is currently no danger to people, officials said. Meanwhile, rescue teams warned tourists against traveling to the region.
Lava approaching coastal town
The Icelandic Meteorological Office announced early in the morning that the lava is continuing to flow at an estimated speed of one kilometer per hour towards the south and southeast. The scenario of the lava reaching the sea must be considered. Some of the lava is also flowing towards the protective barriers for the coastal town of Grindavík, which was evacuated in November, and is now only about 200 meters away from them. The pre-warning phase for the eruption was very short. The first warning to the Ministry of Civil Protection came in only 40 minutes before the start of the first eruption.
3.5-kilometer-long fissure
Scientists tried to assess the situation from a helicopter. The eruption was preceded by strong seismic activity once again. Experts recorded about 80 earthquakes. According to experts, the length of the fissure that opened up is approximately 3.5 kilometers long. Geophysicist Magnús Tumi Guðmundsson described the latest eruption as the strongest so far on RÚV television. Grindavík is located on the Reykjanes Peninsula about 55 kilometers southwest of Reykjavik. Since mid-December, there have been a total of four volcanic eruptions on the peninsula, and during one in January, the lava even reached three houses at the northern edge of the 3,700-resident town. The future of the community is uncertain. The government has already presented a draft law that would allow residents to sell their property to a state-owned company.
With more than 30 active volcanic systems, Iceland is the largest and most active volcanic region in Europe. The island nation in the North Atlantic is situated on the so-called Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which separates the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates.