Icelandic volcano recedes after erupting for a second time
A volcano that erupted in southwest Iceland for the second time in less than a month, setting fire to several houses in a fishing town, appeared to be less active early on Monday.
“A black day” read the front page headline of Icelandic daily Morgunbladid across an image of bright-orange lava fountains and houses burning in the town of Grindavik, about 40km from the capital Reykjavik.
Molten lava flows reached the outskirts of Grindavik at about noon on Sunday, igniting three houses. The town was evacuated earlier and there was no immediate danger to people.
It was the second eruption on the peninsula of Reykjanes in four weeks and the fifth since 2021. Live video footage on Monday showed glimpses of orange lava still flowing to the surface but at smaller volumes, and further away from the town.
Geologists said on Sunday magma corridors were thought to be flowing under the abandoned town, posing more risk.
“Unfortunately, lava went a little bit more south than we had hoped for,” Iceland’s Civil Protection and Emergency Management head Vidir Reynisson, told reporters late on Sunday.
Defensive barriers built to the north of Grindavik helped divert lava flows to the west, away from the town, said Reynisson
Residents of Grindavik, a town of about 4,000 people before it was evacuated in November, said it was difficult to watch TV images of the fires “It’s basically as bad as it can possibly get. Although it might get even worse, who knows,” said evacuated resident Jon Gauti Dagbjartsson. “I live in the house that I was born in and it’s a tough thought to think that this town might be over. I would have to start all over somewhere else. But if that’s the case, then that’s exactly what we’ll do,” he said.
The Icelandic government will meet on Monday to decide on support for the people of Grindavik. “We need to put a lot of extra efforts into finding more housing, suitable housing,” said Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir.
Located between the Eurasian and the North American tectonic plates, among the largest on the planet, Iceland is a seismic and volcanic hotspot as the two plates move in opposite directions.