Volcano Erupts In Iceland After Weeks Of Earthquakes
The country's Meteorological Office said that a volcano erupts in Iceland on Monday, after weeks of very strong earthquakes. Because of concerns about a major outbreak on the Reykjanes peninsula, the government relocated the fishing town of Grindavik and shut down the nearby Blue Lagoon geothermal spa.
Author:Hajra ShannonReviewer:Paula M. GrahamDec 19, 2023393 Shares65.5K Views
The country's Meteorological Office said a volcano erupts in Icelandon Monday, after weeks of powerful earthquakes. Because of concerns about a major outbreak on the Reykjanes peninsula, the government relocated the fishing town of Grindavik and shut down the nearby Blue Lagoon geothermal spa.
Southwest of the city, Reykjavik, is a place where volcanoes and earthquakes happen a lot. Lava fountains emerged spectacularly in March 2021 from a 500-750-meter-long crack in the ground in the Fagradalsfjall volcanic system.
Volcano Erupts In Iceland
The country's Meteorological Office said that a volcano erupted late Monday night in southwest Iceland, sending lava and smoke over a large area. This happened after weeks of very strong earthquakes, which put a nearby town in danger.
Because of worries about a big eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula, the government moved the fishing town of Grindavik and closed the nearby Blue Lagoon geothermal spa last month.
In the past few years, there have been several eruptions on the peninsula in places that aren't inhabited. However, according to the authorities, the current eruption is seen as a direct threat to the town.
The government of Iceland said in a statement on Tuesday that the opening of the crack is almost 4 kilometers long. The statement also said that this is the biggest explosion in the area since 2021.
Public radio RÚVsaid that people in Grindavík, which is about 7 kilometers from the famous Blue Lagoon geothermal spa, were told to leave Monday night. More than 3,000 people live in a town that could be in the path of lava. According to RÖV, the town is now empty of people.
That the eruption does not pose a threat to life was said Iceland's government. The area is closed to all traffic, while strongly telling people not to go there. RÚV reported that last month, people in Grindavík and nearby towns were told they had to leave their homes because of the threat of a volcanic eruption.
A senior police officer with the Civil Defense told RUV that the eruption happened quickly and looked like it was "quite a big event." The Icelandic Met Office stated:
“„Seismic activity together with measurements from GPS devices indicate that the magma is moving to the southwest and the eruption may continue in the direction of Grindavik.- Icelandic Met Office
Vidir Reynisson said that the lava from a big crack in the volcano looked like it was moving in all directions.
“„The jets [of lava] are quite high, so it appears to be a powerful eruption at the beginning.- Vidir Reynisson
From Reykjavik, which is 42 kilometers northeast of Grindavik, you can see the explosion. Someone in the city said he saw that half of the sky toward Grindavik was "lit up in red." He also said that smoke might be rising into the air. The police have told people to stay away from the area.
Katrin Jakobsdottir, the prime minister of Iceland, said that the new protections would be helpful. With the "significant event" in the background, she said her thoughts were with the people in the area and she hoped for the best.
President Gudni Johannesson said that protecting people was the most important thing, but that buildings would also be protected as much as possible.
Due to a big ash cloud, the Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupted in April 2010 and closed off the most airspace over Europe since World War II. The losses were thought to be between 1.3 and 2.5 billion euros ($1.6 to $2.07 billion).
Final Words
The Icelandic Meteorological Office said that a volcano erupted Monday night south of the country's capital, Reykjavik. The eruption happened after a series of earthquakes. Since last month, when there was a lot of seismic activity on the southwest peninsula and people were told to leave, the Nordic country has been on high watch for weeks in case an eruption happens at any time.
Large jets of glowing orange lava shooting into the night sky were seen on a live-streamed video of the explosion. Red smoke was also seen rising around them.
About 4,000 people who lived in Grindavik, a fishing port about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the city, had to leave on November 11 because officials saw that a magma tunnel beneath them was moving, which is a sign that an eruption was about to happen.
Hajra Shannon
Author
Paula M. Graham
Reviewer
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