Iceland Prepares for Likely Volcanic Eruption in Days Ahead

Posted: November 14, 2023 4:45 pm

Iceland is under a state of emergency as a volcano threatens to erupt in the southwestern part of the nation. Read on for more information about what local authorities are calling an imminent eruption.

Residents Advised to Evacuate Town of Grindavik

Residents in the small coastal town of Grindavik have been asked to evacuate after a large amount of earthquakes are signaling a likely volcanic eruption. Scientists are noting that the magma is traveling closer to the surface of the volcano, indicating that an eruption is on the horizon. The greatest amount of magma upwelling is currently being observed in a zone located 3.5 kilometers northeast of Grindavik, a town that is home to about 3,000 people.

Iceland’s Civil Protection Agency is warning that the country of 360,000 residents could be dealing with a major volcanic eruption not seen since the 1973 eruption in Vestmannaeyjar that destroyed approximately 400 structures. The Civil Protection Agency used data collected over the weekend to detail that there is now a 15-kilometer magma corridor that extends from northwest of the town of Grindavik and out into the Atlantic Ocean.

While an eruption that happens over land will pose the greatest degree of risk to Grindavik and its infrastructure, a magma eruption that happens beneath the sea is typically more explosive. This happens because magma mixing with ocean water takes on more dangerous properties than the molten mixture simply exploding over land.

Unfortunately, Grindavik is located in close proximity to the latest fracture in the Earth. Where the magma comes up from underground will dictate what type of damage the town should expect to see.

Although earthquake and volcano experts are predicting that an eruption is highly likely, there is still a chance that the magma will never reach the surface. Should the magma not explode, it will just cool and turn into a solid and non-threatening substance.

Officials have already noted a number of impacts brought about by the recent rash of seismic activity, including damaged roads, broken sidewalks, and more. The increase in earthquakes in the region prompted officials in Grindavik to issue the evacuation orders last Friday.

In addition to the evacuation orders, the famous tourist attraction known as the Blue Lagoon has also been closed since last Thursday due to the seismic activity. This popular geothermal spa is located approximately seven kilometers to the north of Grindavik.

Potential Threats to Reykjavík and the Vicinity

Grindavik is located about 70 kilometers southwest of the nation’s capital city of Reykjavík. At the moment, authorities do not believe that Reykjavik will see any significant impacts from a potential eruption. However, the international airport that serves Reykjavik is less than 20 miles from Grindavik. As a result, an eruption could result in some travel delays.

The good news is that scientists are not expecting the type of impacts that were experienced when the Eyjafjallajökull volcano erupted in 2010. This eruption created a massive ash cloud that forced the cancellations of about 100,000 flights. Instead, the current situation is likely to result in weaker lava flows.

History of Volcanic Eruptions in Iceland

Iceland is no stranger to volcanic eruptions. The nation sits on a tectonic plate boundary that is known to split apart frequently. A potent mantle plume lies below this ridge, melting and thinning out the crust layer of the Earth. These environmental elements have produced 32 active volcanoes.

The silver lining of all this activity is that it most often happens in the remote areas of the country and away from major population centers. For instance, the Bárðarbunga volcanic system that erupted in 2014 is centered in the middle of the country. Although this eruption spread out over 84 square kilometers, no communities sustained any damage.

More recently, the Fagradalsfjall volcanic system blew in 2021 for the first time in over 6,000 years. It also did not pose any risk to populated areas.

Did you find this content useful? Feel free to bookmark or to post to your timeline for reference later.

Recent Posts