Iceland volcano town locals given minutes to gather belongings as eruption looms
Panicked residents of small town in Iceland were told they had just five minutes to pick up their belongings and leave their homes behind.
Grindavik, near the capital of Reykjavik, is likely to bear the brunt of the Fagradalsfjall volcano's next eruption, which has been expected for several days. After the town of 3,400 was evacuated earlier this week, authorities told locals they could only return to their homes during daylight hours - and said only one person per household could go in.
Those who were allowed back were told only to pick up their most essential belongings, including pets, passports, prescription medicines and personal documents. Residents that made the trip back described being given a five-minute window to retrieve their stuff as police officers waited with them - and revealed what they took back.
Read our Iceland volcano live blog for all the latest updates.
Only one person per household was allowed to return after the town was evacuated this week (Euronews)Solveig Thorbergsdottir told EuroNews: "You are so confused when you go in. You only have five minutes, but I stretched it to 15 and I just saved what I saw around. Photos of the grandchildren. Photos of myself when I was young. My best clothes, my wedding dress." Sheep were also taken out of the area in the latest wave of evacuations.
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Damage has been caused to roads and buildings in recent earthquakes (AFP via Getty Images)Speaking on the arrangements made for the retrieval of evacuees' items, Olafur Orvar Olafsson, from the local police force, said he would "understand if they were not happy" - but added that "this is just the situation today". Authorities decided to evacuate Grindavik after recent seismic activity in the area moved south towards the town, and monitoring showed that a corridor of magma, or semi-molten rock, was now lying underneath the community.
The town is on the Reykjanes Peninsula, about 31 miles southwest of the Icelandic capital, Reykjavik. The Meteorological Office said: "At this stage, it is not possible to determine exactly whether and where magma might reach the surface". Matthew Roberts from the agency meanwhile told the BBC that instability in the area brought by the volcanic activity "could last decades", with eruptions likely to cover a large area.
Police said they 'understood' if people were unhappy with evacuation requirements but stressed the urgency of the situation (Euronews)The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office said that the main international airport at Keflavik remains open - but warned that Brits travelling to the country should keep up to date with the situation. Their latest advice reads: "Earthquakes and indications of volcanic activity have increased above normal levels on the Reykjanes peninsula, southwest of Reykjavik. The Icelandic authorities continue to monitor the area closely, particularly the area northwest of Mt Thorbjörn near the Svartsengi power plant and the Blue Lagoon. On 10 November, a Civil Protection Alert was declared after an intense swarm of earthquakes. The town of Grindavík was evacuated as a precaution.
"Some roads have been closed and visitors are advised to stay away from the area. Keflavik International Airport is operating as normal. While there is no current eruption, it is increasingly possible that one could occur. You should monitor local media for updates and follow the authorities advice on travel to the area.
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