Entire town on watch as cracks in the ground fuel volcano eruption fears
A volcanic eruption could destroy a whole Icelandic town as concern grows about a potential volcanic eruption that has sparked a state of emergency.
The country has been shaken by more than 2,000 small earthquakes in the past few days, prompting fears that the tremors could cause the Fagradalsfjall volcano in the southwest of the country to explode. Police decided to evacuate Grindavik after recent seismic activity in the area indicated that a corridor of magma now extends under the community, Iceland’s Meteorological Office said.
The Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) said there was a considerable risk of an eruption and it could start at any time in the next few days, according to the statement. The town of 3,400 is on the Reykjanes Peninsula and about 31 miles southwest of the capital, Reykjavik. Shocking images and footage have emerged showing roads split apart nearby as magma underground is spreading and also causing buildings to buckle under the pressure.
Damage in road from earthquakes, Iceland (Alamy Stock Photo)Experts said a nine-mile river of magma running beneath the peninsula was still active. The Road Administration of Iceland wrote on Facebook saying all roads to Grindavik are closed and traffic on them is forbidden. Today an easyJet flight from London Gatwick to Iceland’s second airport, Akureyri, was forced to divert to Edinburgh - it is not known if the diversion was related to volcanic activity.
Volcanologist Armann Hoskuldsson told state broadcaster RUV that "this is very bad news." He compared it to the Vestmannaeyjar eruption 50 years ago and said this time "would be much worse." In the incident he mentions, 150m fountains of lava shot upwards and the eruptions wouldn't stop for six months. MP Gisli Olafsson said the country is praying that the "worst-case scenarios do not happen." He said on X, formerly known as Twitter: "The situation in Grindavik continues to become even more grave than before. The town has already suffered considerable damage from the earthquakes and from the shifts in the ground as the magma thrusts itself upwards. Scientists have warned that they may not be able to give any further warning of when the magma reaches the surface, making it quite dangerous to go in there."
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Authorities also raised their aviation alert to orange, indicating an increased risk of a volcanic eruption. Volcanic eruptions pose a serious hazard to aviation because they can spew highly abrasive ash high into the atmosphere, which can cause jet engines to fail, damage flight control systems and reduce visibility. A major eruption in Iceland in 2010 caused widespread disruption to air travel between Europe and North America, costing airlines an estimated £2.4bn as they cancelled more than 100,000 flights.
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