Iceland Volcano Erupts, Prompting Civil Defense Alert Weeks After Evacuations

 

A volcanic eruption commenced on Monday night in Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula, casting an eerie orange glow across the sky and prompting the civil defense to elevate its alert status. The eruption, situated approximately 2 miles from Grindavík, was confirmed by the Icelandic Meteorological Office. Webcam footage captured the spectacle of magma spewing along the ridge of a hill.

Iceland's Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management activated its civil protection emergency response shortly after 11 p.m. local time. Vidir Reynisson, head of Iceland's Civil Protection and Emergency Management, reported a substantial magma flow, categorizing the eruption as significant for the region.

Bjarne Benediktsson, Iceland's foreign minister, reassured the public via social media that there were no disruptions to flights, and international flight corridors remained open. Vincent Drouin, a geophysicist at the Icelandic Meteorological Office, emphasized that the eruption surpassed its predecessor in size and duration.

In November, the town of Grindavik was evacuated due to heightened seismic activity and the risk of an impending eruption. The Reykjanes Peninsula experienced thousands of earthquakes that month, indicating rising magma and the potential for a volcanic explosion.

Drouin expressed concerns about the lava's trajectory toward Grindavik and the potential damage to a nearby power station. A sustained eruption could partially destroy the town, impacting water and electricity supplies to the peninsula. Magnus Tumi Gudmundsson, a scientist, estimated that the eruption had already surpassed the entire monthlong event in the summer.

Grindavik, a town of 3,400, faces potential threats as the eruption progresses. The nearby Blue Lagoon geothermal resort, a popular tourist attraction, has been closed due to the volcanic danger. The uncertainty surrounding the eruption's duration adds to the challenges faced by residents and authorities.

Iceland, located above a volcanic hot spot in the North Atlantic, experiences eruptions approximately every four to five years. While the 2010 Eyjafjallajokull eruption disrupted air travel in Europe, experts suggest that the current eruption is not expected to release large quantities of ash into the atmosphere.