A volcano in Iceland erupted on Saturday for the fourth time since December, continuing to spew smoke and bright orange lava into the air on Monday. Authorities confirmed that infrastructure and the nearby fishing town of Grindavik remained safe for the time being.
Magma had been accumulating underground on the Reykjanes peninsula near Iceland's capital, Reykjavik, since the last eruption in February. This buildup prompted authorities to issue a warning of an imminent eruption, which came just 15 minutes before fountains of molten rock began erupting from a 3 km-long fissure—similar in size and location to the previous eruption.
By 1700 GMT, the Icelandic Meteorological Office reported that volcanic activity had stabilized since late Sunday, with activity now concentrated at two locations along the fissure.
Man-made barriers have been successful in directing the lava away from critical infrastructure, including the Svartsengi geothermal power plant and Grindavik, a fishing town of approximately 4,000 residents. Footage from public broadcaster RUV showed lava flowing just a few hundred meters from the town, which had been evacuated during eruptions in November and February.
\"The defenses at Grindavik proved their value … they have guided the lava flow in the intended direction,\" local utility HS Orka stated, adding that the infrastructure leading to the Svartsengi power plant remained intact.
Over the weekend, lava flowed over one of the three roads entering Grindavik and continued to inch south toward another road on Monday. The Met office indicated that the lava is unlikely to reach the sea, and hazardous gases from the volcano are not expected to reach Reykjavik due to strong winds.
Reykjavik's Keflavik Airport remains fully operational.
This eruption marks the seventh on the Reykjanes peninsula since 2021, when geological systems that had been dormant for around 800 years became active again.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
