A volcano in Iceland located northeast of Sylingarfell has erupted again, marking the third time it has erupted since December.
According to reports, the eruption started from a nearly two-mile-long fissure in the early hours of the morning following strong minor earthquake activity in the region. Authorities are evacuating tourists due to the natural disaster, with no reports of loss of life at this time.
The eruption also happened close to the small fishing town of Grindavik, which was evacuated in December because of a previous eruption.
How Iceland’s Volcanic Eruptions Began
Footage from the eruption in Iceland and our evacuation from the area. ? We are thankful to be safe and have experienced such a thrilling event! #grindavik #iceland #volcano #volcanic eruptions #lava pic.twitter.com/HrIm94FmWj
— Paul Zizka (@PaulZizkaPhoto) February 8, 2024
Around 5.30am, the area covering northeast Sylingarfell in Iceland experienced intense small earthquake activity. The event is part of a series of seismic activity the region has experienced since the previous Friday, as documented by the Icelandic Met Office.
Within 30 minutes of the earthquake, eruptions began from a 1.9-mile-long fissure northeast of Mount Sundhnukur in the same region.
Video of the eruption revealed jets of lava flying out of the fissure and reaching 165 feet into the dark sky. In addition, plumes of steam rose about a mile above the volcano, increasing the intensity of the natural disaster.
Due to the eruption, tourists visiting the nearby famous Blue Lagoon thermal spa, one of Iceland’s top attractions, were evacuated to hotels for safety. At the time the eruption began, steaming lava flows were seen spreading across the spa’s exit, justifying the safety measures taken earlier.
Eruption Occurs Near Grindavik In Iceland
My view from ✈️ as we took off from #Reykjavik this morning. It’s incredible to see a force of nature like this. #Iceland #eruption #volcano ? pic.twitter.com/vocMS9PuN1
— Dr Bryony Mathew (@BryonyMathew) February 8, 2024
The latest eruption also occurred just two and a half miles northeast of the coastal town of Grindavik, home to 3,800 people. The town was evacuated before the previous eruption on December 18, and it has been reported that no one was in the area at the time of the latest eruption.
“They shouldn’t have happened, and we don’t know about anything,” Iceland’s Civil Defense chief, Víðir Reynisson, said in a statement to Iceland’s national broadcaster RUV, per Daily Mail.
To date, no casualties have been reported. However, Iceland’s Met Office has stated that lava from the volcano is moving towards a pipeline from the Svartsengi geothermal plant that provides hot water to communities on the peninsula.
As a precaution, residents are urged to minimize the use of hot water while authorities are working to install underground water pipes.
The People of Grindvadik May Not Be Able to Return to Their Lands Permanently
Iceland’s volcano erupted for the third time in two months.
Volcanic eruptions have resumed in Iceland near a badly damaged fishing town and the country’s top tourist attraction, the Blue Lagoon spa.
[? Doug Jewell]pic.twitter.com/11T4xaP03B
— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) February 8, 2024
The eruption around Grindavik has caused severe damage to buildings in the town and has submerged the ground in the area due to the movement of magma. Given the widespread destruction and the continued possibility of future eruptions, one expert has stated that the permanent return of the people of Grindavik to their land is uncertain.
“I think right now there’s a resignation, a quiet resignation, that, for the foreseeable future, this city is basically uninhabitable,” said volcanologist Dave McGarvie, per AP.
He added that people initially thought that “the area was relatively safe” because of the absence of volcanic eruptions for centuries and now had “a bit of a shock that it has come back to life.”
McGarvie continued, “The evidence we’ve gathered recently is that eruptions can continue for decades, if not centuries, sporadically on this peninsula.”
Iceland Has Been Experiencing Volcanic Eruptions In Recent Years
Another volcano erupted in southwest Iceland, marking the third eruption in the last two months ? pic.twitter.com/DoTiZR9uwz
— DW News (@dwnews) February 8, 2024
Iceland’s current ordeal is not surprising, as it is particularly vulnerable to natural disasters due to its location on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. These are divergent plate boundaries where the North American Plate and the Eurasian Plate shift against each other, thus triggering earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
The country has experienced several eruptions over the past decade, with the most disturbing occurring in 2010 when the Eyjafjallajokull volcano emitted 15 lava fountains, reaching heights of up to 185 meters.
It resulted in large clouds of ash being spewed into the atmosphere and widespread airspace closures across Europe due to visibility problems.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
