Iceland volcano sees residents given hours to evacuate before Christmas

21 December 2023 , 09:58

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Iceland volcano sees residents given hours to evacuate before Christmas

Grindavik residents forced out of their homes by a volcanic nightmare are being allowed to return to the fishing town today to collect belongings before Christmas.

The 4,000 inhabitants left homeless after the fissure split open have been told they may return again to the town between 7am and 4pm. But they have been warned sound and light alarms will be used if the town needs to be evacuated.

The Icelandic Met office said: “Seismic activity has been low during the night and measurements do not show decisive changes in land deformation. Almost twenty earthquakes have been recorded in the magma intrusion since midnight, the largest one measuring 1.9 and measured at the southern end. Yesterday, a total of 65 earthquakes were recorded and none of them were over 2 in magnitude.”

Kristín Jónsdóttir of the Icelandic Meteorological Office said: “The flow of lava has decreased significantly since the eruption began on Monday evening. However, this eruption has much more powerful than previous eruptions in the area.”

On Monday night around 10pm, fountains of lava shot 500 feet into the air from a fissure which stretched 3.7 miles. But now lava is spewing from just one vent in the 3.7km crack. The Icelandic Met Office updated their hazard map today and said the chance of a ‘new eruption forming without warning nearby Grindavík has decreased.”

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Mirror reporter Lucy Thornton at the wall around Svartsengi Power Station, a geothermal power plant near Grindavik (Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)

But they warned: “It should be noted that although the likelihood of vent formation within area 4 has decreased, the hazard level in that area is nevertheless considered substantial. “Even though the activity has decreased since the eruption began, the intensity of the eruption is still significant and comparable to eruptions at Fagradalsfjall.

“It has also been shown that the magma can reach the surface quickly, leaving little time to issue warnings.”

Lucy Thornton in Iceland