Home HomeSwedenLivingWorld world_2_fill WorldBusiness BusinessSports sports-soccer SportsEntertainmentEntertain

New volcanic eruption on Iceland – tourist destination evacuated

A new volcanic eruption has occurred on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwestern Iceland, reports Rúv. The popular tourist destination Blue Lagoon and parts of the coastal town of Grindavík have once again been evacuated.

» Updated: 23 August 2024, 08:45

» Published: 23 August 2024

New volcanic eruption on Iceland – tourist destination evacuated
Photo: Marco di Marco/AP/TT

Air traffic to and from Iceland is not affected by the eruption, according to airport operator Isavia on its website.

This is the sixth eruption on Iceland since December – and the residents of Grindavík have by now got a routine for evacuating their homes. This time, there were not many people in the area, with just over 20 houses inhabited.

Visitors staying at a hotel near the popular tourist destination Blue Lagoon have also been evacuated.

About 100 people were staying at the hotel, says regional police chief Úlfar Lúdviksson to public service company Rúv.

Photos show lava and smoke spreading from the eruption. It only took half an hour between the area being evacuated and the eruption occurring – an unusually short time. Despite this, all residents in the area were evacuated without problems.

Nearly four kilometers

"An eruption has started at the crater row Sundhnúksgígar east of Sýlingafell", writes the Icelandic Meteorological Office Vedurstofa on its website.

It was just before 9 pm on Thursday evening, local time, that a series of small but intense earthquakes were measured in the crater row Sundhnúksgígar. About half an hour later, at 21:26, the eruption occurred.

By half past ten, the crack spewing lava was about 3.9 kilometers long.

"It has thus been extended by 1.5 kilometers in about 40 minutes", writes Vedurstofa on its website.

The crack stretches just as far north as it did during the large eruption in December last year. The difference is that the seismic activity this time is mainly in the northern part of the crack and not in the southern.

"Good news"

This means that the lava is flowing east and west from the eruption, but not towards Grindavík.

So if this continues as expected, no lava will flow towards Grindavík. I think we must see it as good news, says Magnús Tumi Gudmundsson, professor of geophysics, to Rúv.

At the same time, he adds, much can still happen and it is necessary to closely monitor the eruption.

But generally, it is a more favorable position than last time, he says.

Just after 22:30, another earthquake occurred, measuring magnitude four, the largest since December last year.

The boundary between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates runs straight through the island nation of Iceland.

This means that the country has extremely high geological activity. For example, a volcanic eruption in the 1700s led to a quarter of the population losing their lives.

Usually, the eruptions are smaller and cause no major damage if they occur in sparsely populated, mountainous areas of the country.

But modern society is sensitive in new ways – when Eyjafjallajökull on Iceland's south coast spread ash over Europe in the spring of 2010, air traffic was shut down for several weeks.

Tags
TTT
By TTThis article has been altered and translated by Sweden Herald

More news

She becomes Trump's Chief of Staff
1 MIN READ

She becomes Trump's Chief of Staff

UN: Israel Blocks Food and Water to Northern Gaza
1 MIN READ

UN: Israel Blocks Food and Water to Northern Gaza

California wants to "Trump-proof" laws
1 MIN READ

California wants to "Trump-proof" laws

France considers new sanctions against settlers
1 MIN READ

France considers new sanctions against settlers

Putin: Trump is a brave man
1 MIN READ

Putin: Trump is a brave man

Trump's new gang: "People who don't say no"
3 MIN READ

Trump's new gang: "People who don't say no"

"The Black Sheep" Orbán Celebrated Trump with Vodka
1 MIN READ

"The Black Sheep" Orbán Celebrated Trump with Vodka

Colombia resumes peace talks with guerrilla
1 MIN READ

Colombia resumes peace talks with guerrilla

The spread of mpox slows down in Africa
1 MIN READ

The spread of mpox slows down in Africa

Ireland participates in genocide process against Israel
1 MIN READ

Ireland participates in genocide process against Israel

43 Monkeys on the Loose from Research Center
1 MIN READ

43 Monkeys on the Loose from Research Center

Musk helped Trump - what does he get in return?
3 MIN READ

Musk helped Trump - what does he get in return?

Attack on hospital in Ukraine – several dead
2 MIN READ

Attack on hospital in Ukraine – several dead

Zelensky: Concessions are unacceptable
1 MIN READ

Zelensky: Concessions are unacceptable

The Mastermind Behind 9/11 Gets a Deal with the USA
1 MIN READ

The Mastermind Behind 9/11 Gets a Deal with the USA

UN Soldiers Injured in Attack in Lebanon
1 MIN READ

UN Soldiers Injured in Attack in Lebanon

Trump's Peace Plan for Ukraine: No NATO for 20 Years
2 MIN READ

Trump's Peace Plan for Ukraine: No NATO for 20 Years

Biden: A loss does not mean we are defeated
2 MIN READ

Biden: A loss does not mean we are defeated

Canada in dispute with Tiktok - "national security"
1 MIN READ

Canada in dispute with Tiktok - "national security"

Europe after the Trump election: We must do more
3 MIN READ

Europe after the Trump election: We must do more