19 December 2023 , 21:30
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Residents have been warned to stay indoors and close their windows to avoid toxic gases spilling from the Icelandic volcano following its eruption.
Southwestern Iceland has seen a fresh volcanic eruption that has led to locals being evacuated, and the government promising nervous locals "we are prepared". However, the country is no stranger to volcanic eruptions. Iceland, which sits above a volcanic hot spot in the North Atlantic, averages an eruption every four to five years.
The most disruptive in recent times was the 2010 eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano, which spewed huge clouds of ash into the atmosphere and led to widespread airspace closures over Europe. The eruption Monday night appears to have occurred about four kilometres from the town of Grindavik, the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) said.
The town near Iceland's main airport was evacuated in November after strong seismic activity damaged homes and raised fears of an imminent eruption. However, the eruption on the Reykjanes Peninsula is expected to release mostly magma, and not ash. Brits flying into Iceland were reminded to stay in their seats as they stretched to "gape" at the volcano below as their planes came into land.
Eilidh Barclay, 21, a PE teacher away for a few days before Christmas said: "People are normally keen to land and get off but everyone was gaping out the windows."
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People on the volcano on the Reykjanes peninsula in south west Iceland which has erupted after weeks of intense earthquake activity (Getty Images)Dangerous gases being released are currently being carried away by the winds, but there is said to be concern that the capital Reykjavík could be hit if it changes direction. By Tuesday afternoon, the IMO said that lava flows from the initial eruption were around a quarter of the size they were from the eruption. Lava "fountains," which reached as high as 30 metres have also been falling.
Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir told Icelandic media that for now, the lava was not endangering critical infrastructure near the volcano. Although the lava flow was moving in a promising direction, precautions were nevertheless being taken near the Svartsengi power plant.
"We also know that the flow of lava can change the surrounding landscape, so this can change with short notice," Jakobsdottir said. The November evacuation of Grindavik meant few people were near the site of the eruption when it occurred, and authorities have warned others to stay away.
The nearby Blue Lagoon geothermal spa - one of Iceland's biggest tourist attractions - also closed temporarily last month as a swarm of earthquakes put the island nation on alert for a possible volcanic eruption. Nonetheless, the residents of the evacuated fishing community of 3,400 had mixed emotions as they watched orange flames touch the dark sky. One month after the evacuation, many are still living in temporary accommodations and don't expect to ever be able to return to live in their homes.
An Icelandic Coast Guard helicopter flies above the volcanic eruption (Icelandic Coast Guard/ZUMA Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock)"The town involved might end up under the lava," said Ael Kermarec, a French tour guide living in Iceland. "It's amazing to see but, there's kind of a bittersweet feeling at the moment."
Matthew Watson, a professor of volcanoes and climate at the University of Bristol, said that tourists should strictly follow travel advice because hazards such as new eruptions can quickly put people in harm's way.
"As is common with this eruptive style, it began with a sustained eruption of ballistics that, over time, has lengthened to form a fire curtain - a long fissure out of which lava is being violently ejected," he said. "This style of eruption is amongst the most spectacular ever seen, and there will be a strong pull for tourists, even though the Blue Lagoon complex has again shut."
The spectacular natural phenomenon is already proving hard for people to resist. "It's just something from a movie!" said Robert Donald Forrester III, a tourist from the United States.