A town in Iceland, Grindavik, is being engulfed in flames as a result of a nearby volcano’s lava flow.
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A specialist is concerned that the worst possible outcome has now materialized in Iceland, as molten lava has entered homes for the first time following a recent volcanic eruption.
On Sunday, the Icelandic Meteorological Office reported that the volcano in the southwest of the country erupted again, marking its second eruption in less than a month. They believe that the fissure may have reached the town of Grindavik.
According to the forecaster, a new fissure emerged causing lava to pour into the fishing village, resulting in the destruction of at least three houses.
When questioned about the possibility of the worst-case scenario occurring, Benedikt Halldórsson, a specialist in seismic events at the Icelandic Meteorological Office, stated to The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service: “Indeed, I cannot envision a situation worse than the volcano erupting near a residential area and lava engulfing homes.”
According to Böðvar Sveinsson, an expert in natural disasters at the Icelandic Meteorological Office, the eruption and lava flow have decreased in intensity.
Approximately 4,000 individuals were removed from the area, however, there were no accounts of harm or fatalities.
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Check out these photos of the damaged homes in Grindavik.
The Reykjanes peninsula in Iceland is currently experiencing a volcanic eruption, causing molten lava to flow out of the volcano. The eruption has resumed in an area just north of Grindavik. A volcano on the Reykjanes peninsula in Iceland is erupting and releasing lava. The image is from Anadolu, obtained through Getty Images.
Live footage: A volcano has erupted on the Reykjanes peninsula in Iceland.
A volcanic eruption occurred in Grindavík, located in southwest Iceland, this morning (January 14th). This comes after residents were instructed to evacuate due to the appearance of volcanic cracks on nearby roads.
The order is anticipated to last for a minimum of three weeks, resulting in significant disturbance, especially since Grindavík is home to the famous Blue Lagoon tourist destination.
You can view it in real time by clicking on this link.
Passenger captures footage of Iceland’s volcano eruption from a plane window.
A traveler aboard a flight over Iceland captured video of the Grindavik volcano eruption as seen from the air.
The video shows molten lava flowing from the volcano, which has now reached the cleared town and caused multiple houses to catch fire.
More here.
Passenger footage captured the eruption of a volcano in Iceland as seen from a plane window.
A traveler aboard a flight over Iceland captured video of the eruption of Grindavik’s volcano from the air. The footage shows lava flowing down the volcano, which has now reached the evacuated town and caused multiple homes to catch fire. This marks the second volcanic eruption in the region within a month, with residents previously being forced to evacuate for six weeks in November.
In case you missed it: Video: Houses in Grindavik, Iceland engulfed in fire as lava from nearby volcano reaches the town.
As the lava from the volcano reaches the town, homes in Grindavik, Iceland are engulfed in flames.
The volcanic eruption in Iceland has resulted in lava reaching homes in Grindavik, causing fires. Residents were evacuated due to indications of an eruption, following a previous evacuation order in November due to another volcano erupting. The lava flow was caused by a fissure opening near the town, and although the airport is functioning normally, tourists are advised to avoid the affected area.
At least three homes were covered in molten lava.
According to authorities, a minimum of three homes in the fishing village of Grindavik were demolished by lava. They also reported that the eruption in the fissure has mostly calmed down.
According to Böðvar Sveinsson, a specialist in natural disasters at the Icelandic Meteorological Office, it appears that the lava flow near these homes has nearly come to a halt.
On Sunday, a volcanic eruption occurred north of the town after a string of earthquakes near Grindavik.
According to Iceland’s RUV television, the population of around 4000 individuals was evacuated during the night.
In case you missed it: A British couple was both concerned and thrilled to witness a volcanic eruption.
A pair of British vacationers visiting Iceland were disturbed to witness a volcanic eruption in the southwest region of the country while traveling to the airport on Sunday.
On Thursday, Lorraine Crawford (67) and her husband John (70) from Essex, went on a trip to Reykjavik with Mr. Crawford’s cousin, Michael Daltrey, and his wife, Faye.
On Sunday morning, the group was traveling in a taxi to Keflavik International Airport to fly back to the UK. While on their way, Ms. Crawford noticed an erupting volcano in the distance and initially mistook it for a fire.
Ms. Crawford, who co-owns a travel agency with her husband and daughter, shared her thoughts on the situation, stating that it was both exciting and concerning to witness such a thing, as it has the potential to cause significant harm.
While en route to the airport, we initially mistook it for a distant fire, but our taxi driver informed us that it was indeed the eruption of the nearby volcano.
She mentioned that they heard a loud noise and rumbling from the airport, but they were unsure of the cause.
The couple known as Lorraine and John Crawford
The met office reported that the defence wall successfully shielded Grindavik from the lava.
The Icelandic Met Office reported that a significant amount of the lava from the volcano eruption was redirected away from Grindavik thanks to the construction of protective barrier dams surrounding the town.
In November, barricades were installed around the volcano in an attempt to divert the flow of magma away from the nearby community.
The lava has broken through the walls of the barriers constructed north of Grindavik, resulting in the destruction of at least three homes.
Benedikt Ofeigsson, a geophysicist at the Meteorological Office, expressed his ongoing astonishment at this phenomenon.
The closure of Blue Lagoon has been extended until Tuesday.
The popular tourist destination in Iceland, the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa, has announced an extension of its closure until January 16th, due to the ongoing volcanic eruption in the area.
According to a statement on the spa’s website, the current location of the volcanic eruption is a safe distance away from Blue Lagoon.
“All individuals who have made reservations during the temporary closure will receive notification.”
The Blue Lagoon’s services have been temporarily out of operation since November, due to the initial evacuation of Grindavik, a fishing town, caused by intense seismic activity.
Eruption in pictures
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A male is adjusting his photography gear in the vicinity of Keflavik.
On January 14, 2024, an aerial photo revealed flowing lava near a road that leads to the town of Grindavik in southwestern Iceland.
The volcano in Iceland erupts while lava dances around it.
The glowing gas plume from the active volcano can be seen from Suðurstrandavegur.
The president assures that there will be no flight disruptions caused by the volcano.
Gudni Johannesson, the President of Iceland, declared that flights to and from the country will continue as planned despite the recent volcanic eruption near Grindavik.
“He stated on social media X, previously known as Twitter, that there is no immediate danger to any lives, but the infrastructure may be at risk.”
According to Benedikt Ofeigsson, a geophysicist at the Meteorological Office, it is impossible to predict the extent of damage that the fishing town may experience due to the eruption. The severity of the destruction will be determined by the length of the eruption.
The volcanic eruption started on Sunday morning in the northern area of the town. This was the second time in November that the town had been evacuated due to concerns of an imminent outbreak, prompted by a series of earthquakes.
Source: independent.co.uk
