17 November 2023 , 15:50
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The stricken Icelandic town of Grindavik could slip into the sea if it is hit by a volcanic eruption, leaving residents holding their breath.
Kristin Jonsdottir of the Icelandic Meteorological Office, believes the most likely scenario is that an eruption will begin in the next few days. They are still warning of a “significant likelihood” of a volcanic eruption. Seismic activity has been constant for the last few days and land is still rising near the magma intrusion.
The country has been shaken by more than 10,000 earthquakes and tremors since Friday prompting fears that this could disrupt the Fagradalsfjall volcano. There have been more than six hundred small earthquakes since midnight Friday alone - the biggest around 7.30am at about magnitude three.
A 'corridor' of lava is growing under the south-west peninsula of the island looking for somewhere to escape. Scientists have said an eruption at some point is ‘likely’ as the 15 km long ‘corridor’ of lava flows under the town. And it is feared if it hits the heart of the fishing town - which has already seen the harbour sink lower, it could be catastrophic.
Roadblocks are in place (Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)Professor in Volcanology at the University of Iceland, Porvaldur Poroarson, says “something is stopping” the lava from escaping. “The event that unfolded on Friday afternoon hit such a speed that I was really expecting an eruption then,” he told RUV English radio.
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“But it didn’t quite make it up to the surface, it came close to coming up all the way, probably less than 500 metres from the surface. So there is something delaying it…Something is holding it back. I would say it was 50-50 at the moment. Mother Earth does what she desires, she does not ask for permission.
“If this movement keeps on going, we keep getting magma flowing in, which maintains growth of fractures, this will end in an eruption… At the moment the best site of eruption right now is offshore. It would produce an ash cloud and could be an eruption that lasts for quite some time."
Huge splits in the road are emerging (Vegagerðin)
Tremors have been felt (Vegagerðin)But he said there would be a lot of steam, so there would not be a repeat of 2010 where flights were stopped all across Europe for 10 days. He explained how three weeks ago there was an ‘intrusion’ (a fracture) and magma flowed into the “pathway” created.
Since Friday, he said, magma has been flowing ‘significantly faster’ into this pathway causing the earthquakes and if it continues we will see an eruption. Yesterday some devastated home owners were left heartbroken when they turned up at the police checkpoint to be told their house was doomed. Valuables were being rescued from the Grindavikur Church by rescue workers.
Fishing boats from the town have been moved up the coast as the harbour continues to sink.