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The Star
6 days ago
- The Star
Volcanic activity eases on Iceland's Reykjanes peninsula
HELSINKI, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Volcanic activity on southwestern Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula is declining, prompting civil protection authorities to lower the alert level from "emergency" to "threat," Icelandic public broadcaster RUV reported Thursday. Lovisa Mjoll Gudmundsdottir, a natural hazard specialist at the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO), said the eruption continues to weaken. "Last night we saw the light at the southernmost part of the fissure fading, and today it has gone out in the north. Only one crater remains active in the far north, with most activities now centered mid-fissure," she told RUV. Seismic activity has remained minimal throughout the day, further indicating the eruption is subsiding. The eruption began around 4:00 a.m. local time Wednesday in the Sundhnukur volcanic area, following a series of earthquakes shortly after midnight. By 5:00 a.m. local time, a fissure 700 to 1,000 meters long had opened and continued expanding northward. Lava flowed southeast without threatening critical infrastructure. By midday Wednesday, the fissure had extended beyond two kilometers, and the lava covered approximately 3.2 square kilometers, according to the IMO. While updated lava flow data is expected soon, attention has shifted to gas emissions. Significant pollution has been detected in the Westfjords, a large peninsula in the northwest of Iceland, and the northern part of the country. Gudmundsdottir noted that shifting winds may continue to spread volcanic particles even after the eruption ends. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation and urging residents and travelers to stay informed through official channels. Emergency evacuations were carried out Wednesday in the southern town of Grindavik and surrounding areas, including the Blue Lagoon tourist site. As of Thursday, Grindavik has reopened to residents and hotels have resumed operations, though restrictions remain in place for tourists, RUV reported. The eruption has not affected the capital, Reykjavik, and volcanic ash has not disrupted air travel. This is the ninth eruption in the Sundhnukur volcanic area since 2021 and the second this year, the previous one occurring on April 1.
Daily Tribune
6 days ago
- Climate
- Daily Tribune
Iceland volcano erupts for ninth time since 2023
Avolcano erupted on Wednesday in Iceland's Reykjanes peninsula in the southwest, weather authorities said, the ninth eruption to hit the region since the end of 2023. Live video feeds showed lava spewing out of a fissure in the ground, with the Icelandic Met Office saying that it began just before 4:00 am (0400 GMT). The weather agency later in the day reported that the main fissure was estimated to be 2.4 kilometres (1.5 miles) long, and that a second smaller fissure, about 500 metres long, had opened up nearby. Due to high levels of gas pollution in the air, residents were advised to stay indoors. Broadcaster RUV reported that the nearby fishing village Grindavik had been evacuated, as had the Blue Lagoon, Iceland's famed tourist spot. Police Commissioner Margret Kristin Palsdottir, told the broadcaster that the evacuation of the some 100 people staying in the village had gone smoothly. Palsdottir also said they 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," Palsdottir said. Geophysicist Benedikt Ofeigsson told RUV that the eruption didn't seem as big as earlier ones and was in a good location as it wasn't near any infrastructure.
The Herald Scotland
7 days ago
- The Herald Scotland
Maps and drone video show Iceland volcano eruption near Grindavik
Magma is flowing again in the land of ice and fire after an eruption in Iceland's Sundhnuksgigar crater row. This is ninth such event in the area and 12th on the greater Reykjanes Peninsula since the latest volcanic cycle began with the eruption of Fagradalsfjall in 2021, according RUV, Iceland's public broadcasting service. The eruption began just before 4 a.m. local time after a swarm of seismic activity according to the Icelandic Meteorological Service, prompting evacuations from the village of Grindavik and local tourist attractions including the popular Blue Lagoon spa.
NDTV
16-07-2025
- NDTV
Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula Volcano Erupts For 9th Time Since 2023
A volcano erupted on Wednesday in Iceland's Reykjanes peninsula in the southwest, weather authorities said, the ninth eruption to hit the region since the end of 2023. Live video feeds showed lava spewing out of a fissure in the ground, with the Icelandic Met Office saying that it began just before 4:00 am (0400 GMT). The weather agency later in the day reported that the main fissure was estimated to be 2.4 kilometres (1.5 miles) long, and that a second smaller fissure, about 500 metres long, had opened up nearby. Due to high levels of gas pollution in the air, residents were advised to stay indoors. Broadcaster RUV reported that the nearby fishing village Grindavik had been evacuated, as had the Blue Lagoon, Iceland's famed tourist spot. Police Commissioner Margret Kristin Palsdottir, told the broadcaster that the evacuation of the some 100 people staying in the village had gone smoothly. Palsdottir also said they 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," Palsdottir said. Geophysicist Benedikt Ofeigsson told RUV that the eruption didn't seem as big as earlier ones and was in a good location as it wasn't near any infrastructure. The previous eruption to hit the area was in April, and a risk assessment published on Tuesday didn't expect another eruption until this autumn. When the first volcanic eruption first hit the area in late 2023, most of Grindavik's 4,000 residents were evacuated. Since then, almost all of the houses have been sold to the state, and most of the residents have left. Volcanoes on the Reykjanes peninsula had not erupted for eight centuries when in March 2021 a period of heightened seismic activity began. Volcanologists have warned in recent years that volcanic activity in the region had entered a new era. RUV said the latest eruption was not expected to impact international flights. A volcanic eruption in another part of Iceland in 2010 caused worldwide travel chaos as the ash spewed into the atmosphere sparked airspace closures in Europe. Iceland is home to 33 active volcanic systems, more than any other European country. It is located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a fault in the ocean floor that separates the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates and causes earthquakes and eruptions.
Observer
16-07-2025
- Observer
Iceland volcano erupts for ninth time since 2023
Reykjavik: A volcano erupted on Wednesday in Iceland's Reykjanes peninsula in the southwest, weather authorities said, the ninth eruption to hit the region since the end of 2023. Live video feeds showed lava spewing out of a fissure in the ground, with the Icelandic Met Office saying that it began just before 4:00 am (0400 GMT). Broadcaster RUV reported that the nearby fishing village Grindavik had been evacuated, as had the Blue Lagoon, Iceland's famed tourist spot. The previous eruption to hit the area was in April. When the first volcanic eruption first hit the area in late 2023, most of Grindavik's 4,000 residents were evacuated. Since then, almost all of the houses have been sold to the state, and most of the residents have left. Volcanoes on the Reykjanes peninsula had not erupted for eight centuries when in March 2021 a period of heightened seismic activity began. Volcanologists have warned in recent years that volcanic activity in the region had entered a new era. RUV said the latest eruption was not expected to impact international flights. A volcanic eruption in another part of Iceland in 2010 caused worldwide travel chaos as the ash spewed into the atmosphere sparked airspace closures in Europe. Iceland is home to 33 active volcanic systems, more than any other European country. It is located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a fault in the ocean floor that separates the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates and causes earthquakes and eruptions. Often referred to as a land of ice and fire, the North Atlantic island nation with its many glaciers and volcanoes has now experienced a dozen eruptions since geological systems on its Reykjanes peninsula reactivated in 2021. Magma forced through the earth's crust opened a massive fissure of length between 700 m and 1,000 m (0.4 miles and 0.6 miles), Iceland's meteorological office said, with the first signs of the eruption giving scant warning. "(It does) not threaten any infrastructure at this time," the office said in a statement. "Based on GPS measurements and deformation signals, it is likely that this was a relatively small eruption." Flights at Keflavik airport in the capital of Reykjavik were not affected, its web page showed. The Reykjanes eruptions have not yet posed a threat to Reykjavik, nor ejected large volumes of ash into the stratosphere, so air traffic has not been disrupted. Experts have said the eruptions in the area could recur for decades, or even centuries. The fissure eruptions, as the outbreaks are known, are characterised by lava flows emerging from long cracks, rather than from a central crater. AFP and Reuters
