A volcano in Iceland spewed smoke and lava for a second day on Thursday, but winds were expected to carry toxic gas pollution away from the capital Reykjavik, authorities said.
The eruption, the fifth since December, was the most powerful in the area since volcanic systems on the Reykjanes Peninsula became active three years ago after being dormant for eight centuries, according to the Icelandic Met Office.
The town of Grindavik, where only a few people have returned after several homes were destroyed by lava earlier this year, was again subject to an evacuation order, as was the nearby Blue Lagoon outdoor spa, a major tourist attraction.
Volcanic activity decreased late on Wednesday but remained stable throughout the night, the civil protection agency said in a statement.
There were no reports of injuries.
A volcano in Iceland spewed smoke and lava for a second day on Thursday
The wind was expected to carry toxic gas pollution from the capital Reykjavik
Sensors showed that air quality in and around the capital remained ‘very good’
“Westerly winds are expected today and gas pollution may spread eastwards across southern Iceland,” the agency said.
Sensors showed air quality in and around the capital remained ‘very good’, while a station closer to the eruption said it was ‘unhealthy for sensitive people’.
Lava flowed down the main road leading towards Grindavik on Wednesday, and images in local media on Thursday showed it partially covered by a large mass of dried black rocks.
Lava flows also reached the dikes built around Grindavik, directing the molten rock westward around the city, according to the met office.
Keflavik airport, Iceland’s largest, was operating as usual.
Lava flows reached the dikes around Grindavik
Grindavik, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) southwest of the Icelandic capital Reykjavik, has been under threat since a swarm of earthquakes in November forced an evacuation ahead of the December 18 initial eruption.
About 20 million cubic meters of magma had accumulated in the magma chamber beneath Svartsengi
Images from yesterday billowed smoke against the blue sky as a thick gorge split the landscape in two.
The Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) had reported “intense earthquake activity” ahead of Wednesday’s eruption, with “approximately 400 earthquakes” measured in the past seven days near the Sundhnuksgigar crater row.
In addition, it said that about 20 million cubic meters of magma had accumulated in the magma chamber beneath Svartsengi, home to a power plant that provides electricity and water to about 30,000 people on the peninsula.
The Svartsengi plant has been managed remotely since the first eruption in the region in December and barriers have been built to protect it.
Grindavik, about 30 miles (48 km) southwest of the Icelandic capital Reykjavik, has been under threat since a swarm of earthquakes in November forced an evacuation ahead of the December 18 initial eruption.
The Met Office said coastguard helicopters had been sent to determine the exact location and size of Wednesday’s eruption
Most of the fishing village’s 4,000 residents were permanently evacuated in November, prior to the eruption
A subsequent eruption overwhelmed some defensive walls and destroyed several buildings.
Most of the fishing village’s 4,000 residents were permanently evacuated in November, prior to the eruption.
Lava flowed into the streets of Grindavik during a subsequent eruption in January, flooding three houses.
But a few die-hard residents had returned to live in neighborhoods less at risk from the lava flow.
The volcano erupted again in February and March, with the first flooding a pipeline on February 8, cutting off heating and hot water for thousands of people.
Until March 2021, the Reykjanes Peninsula – part of the Svartsengi volcanic system – had not experienced an eruption for eight centuries, as neighboring volcanoes were inactive.
Images from yesterday billowed smoke against the blue sky as a thick gorge split the landscape in two
Iceland, which lies above a volcanic hotspot in the North Atlantic Ocean, is home to 33 active volcano systems, the highest number in Europe
Further eruptions occurred in August 2022 and in July and December 2023, leading volcanologists to believe the start of a new era of seismic activity had arrived in the region.
The Met Office said coastguard helicopters had been sent to determine the exact location and size of Wednesday’s eruption.
Iceland, which lies above a volcanic hotspot in the North Atlantic Ocean, is home to 33 active volcano systems, the highest number in Europe.
It lies on either side of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a crack in the ocean floor that separates the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates.
The most disruptive eruption 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.