A volcano erupted with little discover in southern Iceland on Saturday night time, the most recent in a string of eruptions within the space, threatening native infrastructure and main the authorities to declare a state of emergency.
Lava fountains burst out of the bottom, and a virtually two-mile-long fissure opened up on the Reykjanes Peninsula round 8:30 p.m., the Icelandic Meteorological Workplace stated. The eruption occurred close to the city of Grindavik, the Svartsengi Energy Plant and the Blue Lagoon, considered one of Iceland’s most well-known vacationer sights.
The meteorological workplace stated that it had obtained indications of a potential eruption solely about 40 minutes earlier than it occurred. The workplace despatched out its first warning moments earlier than the eruption started.
The Blue Lagoon and Grindavik had been evacuated shortly after the eruption, in accordance with RUV, the nationwide broadcaster. Grindavik has a inhabitants of about 4,000, however few residents had been within the city on the time. About 700 guests had been staying on the Blue Lagoon.
Native information media reported that lava flowed over the principle highway resulting in Grindavik round 1 a.m. and was heading towards the city and the facility plant. Each have defensive boundaries constructed round them to guard them from lava.
On Sunday morning, Hjordis Gudmundsdottir, a spokeswoman for the Division of Civil Safety and Emergency Administration, instructed reporters that the most important threat was to 2 pipes that carried sizzling water from the geothermal Svartsengi Energy Plant to properties on the peninsula.
The eruption was probably the most important of the seven which have occurred throughout the Reykjanes Peninsula since 2021, together with 4 since December, the civil safety company stated in a assertion. Earlier than that, the peninsula had laid dormant for 800 years.
Meteorologists have expressed issues that if the lava continues on the identical fee, it might stream into the North Atlantic. Contact between lava and water can create small explosions and harmful gases.
