© Reuters. A volcano spews lava and smoke because it erupts in Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland, January 14, 2024. Iceland Civil Safety/Handout by way of REUTERS
REYKJAVIK (Reuters) – A volcano that erupted in southwest Iceland for the second time in lower than a month gave the impression to be considerably much less energetic on Monday regardless of indications of magma nonetheless flowing underground.
“A black day” learn the entrance web page headline of Icelandic each day Morgunbladid throughout a picture of bright-orange lava fountains and homes burning within the city of Grindavik, some 40 kilometres (25 miles) southwest of the capital Reykjavik.
Though volcanic exercise has eased since Sunday, the eruption centres is a high-risk space and new fissures might open with out warning, the Icelandic Metrological Workplace mentioned.
“It’s troublesome to estimate how lengthy this eruption will final,” it mentioned in an announcement.
Molten lava flows reached the outskirts of Grindavik round midday on Sunday, setting three homes alight, though the city had been evacuated earlier and there was no speedy hazard to folks.
The crack within the earth’s floor that opened near Grindavik on Sunday was now not energetic on Monday, and lava manufacturing from the bigger fissure north of the city was lowering, vulcanologist Rikke Pedersen instructed Reuters.
“Exercise has dropped considerably in a single day,” she mentioned.
GPS measurements confirmed that magma continued to maneuver in a southern space of the hall beneath the city, the Metrological Workplace mentioned, including that new cracks may seem inside Grindavik within the subsequent few days.
It was the second eruption on the peninsula of Reykjanes in 4 weeks and the fifth since 2021.
Dwell video footage on Monday confirmed glimpses of orange lava nonetheless flowing to the floor however in smaller volumes, and additional away from the city.
“Sadly (the lava) went just a little bit extra south than we had hoped for,” Vidir Reynisson, head of Iceland’s Civil Safety and Emergency Administration, instructed a press convention late on Sunday.
However, defensive obstacles constructed to the north of Grindavik had helped divert the flows of lava to the west, away from the city, Reynisson mentioned.
Residents of Grindavik, a city of some 4,000 folks earlier than it was evacuated in November, mentioned it was troublesome to observe televised photographs of the fires.
“That is critical, it is principally as unhealthy as it could possibly presumably get. Though it would get even worse, who is aware of?” evacuated resident Jon Gauti Dagbjartsson mentioned late on Sunday.
“I really dwell in the home that I used to be born in and it is a robust thought to assume that this city could be over, and I must begin throughout someplace else. But when that is the case, then that is precisely what we’ll do.”
The Icelandic authorities was to fulfill on Monday to determine on assist for the folks of Grindavik. “We have to put lots of further efforts into discovering extra housing, appropriate housing,” Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir mentioned.
