Iceland volcano erupts once more as lava fountains disrupt heating and roads

Restoring scorching water through an emergency pipeline that was already below development might take days, it mentioned.

Volcanic outbreaks within the Reykjanes peninsula are so-called fissure eruptions, which don’t normally trigger giant explosions or important dispersal of ash into the stratosphere.

Nevertheless, scientists concern they may proceed for years, and Icelandic authorities have began constructing dykes to divert burning lava flows away from properties and demanding infrastructure.

The lava stream additionally got here inside 1 km (0.6 miles) of the peninsula’s Svartsengi geothermal energy plant, Pedersen mentioned.

Because the lava flowed, employees had been making an attempt to fill in gaps within the protecting dykes constructed alongside the street.

“So they’re actually doing all they’ll to stop lava reaching the ability plant,” she mentioned.

Historical past of eruptions

The newest eruptive fissure, the sixth outbreak since 2021, was roughly 3 km (2 miles) lengthy, Iceland’s meteorological workplace mentioned. Intense earthquake exercise started round 5:30 a.m. and the eruption itself half-hour later.

A plume of smoke rose 3 km into the air, in response to the Met Workplace.

Reykjanesbaer, Iceland’s fifth largest municipality, mentioned it will shut all kindergartens and faculties on Friday.

The earlier eruption within the space began on January 14 and lasted roughly two days, with lava flows reaching the outskirts of the Grindavik fishing city, whose almost 4000 inhabitants had been evacuated, the place some homes had been set alight.

Thursday’s eruption occurred a way from Grindavik and was unlikely to pose a direct menace to the city, Icelandic geophysicist Ari Trausti Gudmundsson instructed Reuters.

Iceland’s President Gudni Johannesson posted a picture of flames and smoke within the distance on social media, saying that was the view from his residence.

“As earlier than, our ideas are with the individuals of Grindavik who can not reside of their stunning city. This too shall cross,” Johannesson wrote.

Regardless of downgrading the volcanic system’s menace stage, authorities have warned of additional eruptions as land continued to rise within the space attributable to magma accumulating underground.

The Reykjanes peninsula alone has six lively volcanic methods and will see eruptions on-and-off for many years or doubtlessly even centuries, Gudmundsson mentioned.

Different components of the nation have extra highly effective volcanoes.

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In 2010, ash clouds from eruptions at Eyafjallajokull within the south of Iceland unfold over giant components of Europe, grounding some 100,000 flights and forcing a whole bunch of Icelanders to evacuate properties.

However in contrast to Eyafjallajokull, the Reykjanes volcano methods usually are not trapped below glaciers and are thus not anticipated to trigger similar-sized ash clouds.

Iceland, which is roughly the dimensions of the US state of Kentucky, boasts greater than 30 lively volcanoes, making the north European island a first-rate vacation spot for volcano tourism – a distinct segment section that draws 1000’s of thrill seekers.

Reuters