Large Icelandic volcanic eruption misses local town
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The eruption late on Dec 18 on the Reykjanes peninsula in south-west Iceland spewed lava and smoke more than 100m into the air.
PHOTO: AFP
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OSLO – Lava from a large volcanic eruption in Iceland appeared to flow away from the only town in the area, offering hope that homes would be spared, geologists and rescue officials said on Dec 19.
The eruption late on Dec 18 on the Reykjanes peninsula in south-west Iceland spewed lava and smoke more than 100m into the air after weeks of intense seismic activity.
“The eruption does not present a threat to life,” an Icelandic government statement said.
“There are no disruptions to flights to and from Iceland, and international flight corridors remain open.”
The authorities in November evacuated the nearly 4,000 inhabitants of the fishing town of Grindavik about 40km south-west of capital city Reykjavik.
Images and live streaming of the eruption shown by Reuters and others showed bright yellow, orange and red lava in sharp contrast against the night sky.
The eruption opened a 4km fissure from which lava fountains emerged.
But at its southernmost point, the crack was still 3km away from Grindavik, the Icelandic Meteorological Office said.
“The eruption is taking place north of the watershed, so lava does not flow towards Grindavik,” geologist Bjorn Oddson told public broadcaster RUV.
Located between the Eurasian and the North American tectonic plates, among the largest on the planet, Iceland is a seismic and volcanic hot spot as the two plates move in opposite directions.
But eruptions are still hard to predict.
In mid-November, Grindavik inhabitants were whisked from their homes in the middle of the night as the ground shook, roads cracked and buildings suffered structural damage.
Seismologists believed at the time that an eruption was imminent, but the geological activity later eased.
The Reykjanes peninsula in recent years saw several eruptions in unpopulated areas.
In March 2021, lava fountains erupted spectacularly from a 500m to 750m-long fissure in the ground in the Fagradalsfjall volcanic system.
Volcanic activity in the area continued for six months that year, prompting thousands of Icelanders and tourists to visit the scene.
In August 2022, a three-week eruption happened in the same area, followed by another in July 2023. REUTERS
