Residents of the town of Grindavik were permitted to return to their houses only weeks after a massive eruption, but now the volcano has erupted again, spewing lava perilously close to their homes.
According to video footage, Magma, smoke, and ash were shot into the sky above the town during an eruption at 7:57 am local time today. In thirty minutes, the meteorologists said, the fissure multiplied by a factor of several. According to local media, geologist Magnús Tumi Guðmundsson noted that the crack is now one kilometer (3,280 ft) long and expressed uncertainty about when it would cease to spread.
Officials have said that the flow is just 500 meters (1,500 feet) away from striking the northernmost structures in the fishing village, and pictures show the lava steadily moving toward the settlement. A second eruption happened just after noon today.
“No lives are at risk; however, infrastructure may be in peril,” said Iceland’s president, Gudni Johannesson, in an X post. At the time of publishing, there were no indications that arrivals or departures were delayed or canceled at the adjacent Keflavik Airport, suggesting that flights were unaffected by the news of this morning’s eruption.
The Blue Lagoon Hotel, a popular destination for locals and tourists alike, was evacuated Friday night after its recent restoration. Residents in Grindavik were ordered to evacuate at around 3 am local time as the seismic activity worsened over the night. Out of 4,000 people living in the town, around 200 have decided to remain despite the warnings. Last night, 200 earthquakes were detected, according to the Public Safety Department of the National Police. At approximately 5 am, the municipality of Grindavik is believed to have lost electricity.
An evaluation by a Coast Guard helicopter has been initiated, and an evacuation order will probably be issued for the “coming three weeks.”
Following the total evacuation of the town of Grindavik and the closure of the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa, a renowned tourist attraction, the most recent eruption on the peninsula began in the Svartsengi volcanic system on December 18.
