Iceland faces ‘daunting’ period as lava destroys homes
Iceland faces “a daunting period of upheaval” after homes were destroyed by lava emitted from a long-dormant volcanic system, President Gudni Johannesson said.
Lava flows reached the outskirts of Grindavik on Sunday, setting three houses on fire.
Homes in the town had been evacuated before the eruption after seismic activity was recorded in November.
There was no immediate danger to residents, with the volcano appearing to be less active yesterday.
Barriers of earth and rock had been installed to try to prevent lava from reaching the fishing town 40km south-west of the capital Reykjavik.
Mr Johannesson said in a televised address on Sunday that “a daunting period of upheaval has begun on the Reykjanes peninsula” and that authorities were battling “tremendous forces of nature”.
“We don’t yet know how this eruption will unfold, but we must still take those actions that are within our power,” he said.
“We continue to hope for as good an outcome as possible, in the face of these tremendous forces of nature.
“We will carry on with our responsibilities and we will continue to stand together.”
It was the second volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula in south-western Iceland in less than one month and the fifth since 2021.
An eruption started in the Svartsengi volcanic system on December 18 after the complete evacuation of homes in Grindavik and the closure of the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa, a popular tourist spot.
More than 100 Grindavik residents had returned to their homes before Saturday’s renewed evacuation order.
A workman is missing after reportedly falling into a crack opened by the volcano.
Iceland is a seismic and volcanic hotspot, lying between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates, two of the largest on the planet. The plates are moving in opposite directions.
In 2010, ash clouds from eruptions of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in the south of Iceland spread over large parts of Europe, grounding about 100,000 flights and forcing hundreds of Icelanders from their homes.
Unlike Eyjafjallajokull, the Reykjanes volcano systems are not under glaciers and are not expected to cause similar ash clouds.
Keflavik International Airport – the country’s largest airport – is operating as normal. The Blue Lagoon is expected to reopen to tourists today.