REYKJAVIK, Iceland – A volcano in southwestern Iceland erupted for the second time in less than a month on Sunday, posing a threat to the nearby community of Grindavik. The eruption followed a series of small earthquakes that prompted the evacuation of the town.
Authorities had built defensive walls around the volcano to steer the lava away from the community, but the barriers were breached and the lava is now moving towards the homes, according to the Icelandic Meteorological Office.
Residents are left with no choice but to watch the lava flow towards their town. “We just watch it on the cameras and there’s really nothing else we can do,” said resident Reynir Berg Jónsson.
Grindavik, a town of 3,800 people located southwest of Reykjavik, had previously been evacuated in November due to a series of earthquakes that caused cracks in the ground. The eruption in November resulted in temporary closures of tourist attractions like the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa.
The recent volcanic activity is surprising experts. “Things were slowing down after the eruption started, but about half an hour or an hour ago they started to pick up speed again. We are no longer seeing a slowdown in the town,” said Benedikt Ófeigsson of the Icelandic Meteorological Office.
Iceland sits above a volcanic hot spot in the North Atlantic and experiences eruptions every four to five years on average. The most notable eruption in recent times was the 2010 eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano, which caused significant disruptions to air travel.
Unlike the Eyjafjallajokull eruption, Sunday’s eruption is not expected to release large amounts of ash into the air. Operations at Keflavík Airport remain unaffected.
The volcano in question had been dormant for approximately 780 years prior to the first eruption in November. It is located near Fagradalsfjall, which had been dormant for 6,000 years before coming to life in March 2021.
In summary, the eruption of a volcano in southwestern Iceland has prompted the evacuation of the town of Grindavik for the second time in less than a month. The lava flow is now moving towards the community, despite efforts to steer it away. Experts are surprised by the resurgence of activity in the area. However, unlike previous eruptions, this event is not expected to have a significant impact on air travel.