Latest news with #Grindavik
The National
2 days ago
- The National
Best photos of July 18: Wildfires in France to drying tomatoes in Tunisia
People walk past dried lava from previous volcanic activity as they make their way to watch the fresh eruption near Grindavik, Reykjanes, in south-west Iceland. EPA
Bloomberg
3 days ago
- Bloomberg
Why Do Iceland's Volcanoes Keep Erupting, and How Dangerous Are They?
Repeated volcanic eruptions have rocked southwestern Iceland since December 2023, and the island's inhabitants are getting used to the sight of lava spewing near populated areas. For the wider world, the eruptions have rekindled memories of the Eyjafjallajokull explosion of 2010, when vast volcanic ash clouds grounded air traffic across Europe for weeks. Scientists say the recent bout of heightened volcanic activity in the country known as 'the land of fire and ice' may go on for centuries. Yes and no. While the country experiences a volcanic eruption every five years on average — of varying nature, size and scope — the current series of eruptions is something even Icelanders aren't used to. The ground has ripped open 12 times since 2021 in the Reykjanes Peninsula. Hardly any of the previous eruptions had taken place in or near inhabited areas. This time around, the fishing community of Grindavik, which was home to almost 3,700 people, has been devastated. The glow in the sky from lava gushing out of the ground is now sometimes visible to residents of the capital, Reykjavik.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- The Guardian
Volcano on Reykjanes peninsula in Iceland erupts for ninth time since 2023
A volcano erupted on Wednesday on Iceland's Reykjanes peninsula in the south-west of the country, the ninth eruption in region since the end of 2023. The Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) said the eruption had begun just before 4am local time (05:00 BST), and live video feeds showed lava spewing from a fissure in the ground. The IMO later said the main fissure was about 1.5 miles (2.4km) long, and that a second fissure of about 500 metres long had opened up nearby. Residents were advised to say indoors because high levels of toxic gas in the air. The broadcaster RUV reported that a nearby fishing village, Grindavík, had been evacuated, as had the Blue Lagoon spa, a famous tourist spot. Police commissioner Margrét Kristín Pálsdóttir told RUV the evacuation of about 100 people had gone smoothly. She also said police had prevented some tourists from entering the area. 'Of course, we understand that this is a fascinating event, especially for tourists who are not as accustomed to it as we are,' she said. Benedikt Ófeigsson, a geophysicist with the IMO, told RUV that the eruption didn't seem as big as earlier ones and was not near any infrastructure. The last eruption in the area was in April, and a risk assessment published on Tuesday didn't expect another eruption until the autumn. When the first eruption took place in late 2023, most of Grindavík's 4,000 residents were evacuated. Almost all of the homes in the village have since been sold to the state, and most of the residents have left. Volcanoes on the Reykjanes peninsula had not erupted for eight centuries when a period of heightened seismic activity began in March 2021. Sign up to This is Europe The most pressing stories and debates for Europeans – from identity to economics to the environment after newsletter promotion Volcanologists have said in recent years that activity in the region had entered a new era. RUV said the latest eruption was not expected to affect international flights. An eruption in another part of Iceland in 2010 caused worldwide travel chaos when an ash cloud forced the closure of airspace. Iceland has 33 active volcanic systems, more than any other European country. It is located on the mid-atlantic ridge, a fault line in the ocean floor between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
'High' alert, wildfire threats after Iceland's Sundhnukur volcano erupts
July 16 (UPI) -- Icelandic authorities now say threats of wildfires have officials on "high" alert and that eruption fissures were bigger than scientists initially thought after Wednesday's eruption of the once-dormant Sundhnukur volcano. "Seismic activity has decreased significantly and only a few small earthquakes are now measured per hour," according to Iceland's meteorological agency in a translated afternoon update. The volcano alert level, it added, remained at its "highest level" as a possibility of wildfires remains. But it said ongoing threats of polluted air from the toxic substances was minimally detected and "not reflected in current pollution forecasts." There have been no reports of injuries. For its 12th time in four years, Sundhnukur in the Reykjanes Peninsula on the west southern tip of Iceland spewed smoke and volcanic lava in the air Wednesday morning in its latest activity after centuries of silence until 2021. Tourists, families, hotel guests and the public in nearby resort towns were evacuated as a precaution in Grindavík, Blue Lagoon resort and other areas. However, despite this, no flight disruptions were reported at nearby Keflavík airport. Initial reports indicated that liquid hot magma created a fissure in the Earth's crust around 2,296 feet and 3,280 feet long after an "intense earthquake swarm." The GPS and deformation data originally suggested a minor eruption by comparison. A smaller crater also opened west of Fagradalsfjall, estimated to be roughly 1,640 feet long. However, the afternoon update noted the eruption fissure "lengthened and extends further north than previous eruption fissures" since December 2003. The agency said at the time that lava flow was concentrated and did "not threaten any infrastructure at this time." High levels of gas pollution were reported by authorities in the municipality of Reykjanesbær after wind carried it but later decreased in toxicity. In its afternoon update, lava was reported flowing northeast from its source covering a large area on Kálffellsheiði and towards Svartsengi. Since 2020, the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwestern Iceland has produced multiple volcanic eruptions and was active all last year in January through to November after earthquakes activated systems. The town of Grindavík once housed around 4,000 Icelanders but was evacuated late last year and has reportedly largely remained a ghost town over safety due to ongoing volcanic risk as Icelandic authorities warned tourists to stay away from the area. Iceland's Sundhnukur volcano was active as recently as early February and May of last year.
CNA
4 days ago
- CNA
Iceland volcano erupts for ninth time since 2023
REYKJAVIK: A volcano erupted on Iceland's Reykjanes peninsula in the southwest on Wednesday (July 16), marking the ninth such event in the region since late 2023, according to weather authorities. Live footage showed lava spewing from a fissure in the ground, with the Icelandic Met Office saying the eruption began just before 4.00am local time (0400 GMT). Later in the day, the weather agency reported that the main fissure stretched approximately 2.4 kilometres (1.5 miles), and a second smaller fissure of about 500 metres had opened nearby. EVACUATIONS AND HEALTH WARNINGS Residents were advised to stay indoors due to elevated gas pollution levels. The nearby fishing village of Grindavik and the popular Blue Lagoon tourist attraction were both evacuated, broadcaster RUV reported. Police Commissioner Margret Kristin Palsdottir told RUV that around 100 people were evacuated from Grindavik and the operation had gone smoothly. She added that police had stopped some tourists from entering the danger zone. "Of course, we understand that this is a fascinating event, especially for tourists who are not as accustomed to it as we are," Palsdottir said. ERUPTION CONSIDERED LESS SEVERE Geophysicist Benedikt Ofeigsson told RUV the eruption appeared smaller than previous ones and was well-situated, as it was not close to any critical infrastructure. A risk assessment released on Tuesday had predicted no new eruptions before the autumn. The last eruption in the area occurred in April. When the first eruption hit in late 2023, most of Grindavik's 4,000 residents were evacuated. Since then, nearly all of the town's homes have been sold to the state and most residents have relocated. The Reykjanes peninsula had remained dormant for eight centuries until a period of increased seismic activity began in March 2021. Volcanologists have since warned that the region may be entering a new era of regular volcanic activity. The latest eruption was not expected to impact international air travel, RUV said. In contrast, a 2010 volcanic eruption in another part of Iceland caused widespread disruption after volcanic ash grounded flights across Europe. Iceland sits atop the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a tectonic boundary that separates the Eurasian and North American plates. It is home to 33 active volcanic systems, the most of any country in Europe.
