Iceland volcano – latest: Top tourist site extends closure as Met Office warns earthquake threat ‘not over’
Blue Lagoon, one of Iceland’s top tourist spots, extended its closure till 9 December amid safety concerns over fears of a volcano eruption.
It comes as the country’s Met Office has said that while seismic activity is decreasing, the “unrest phase is not over”.
“The process which began on 25 October with a significant seismic swarm and peaked on 10 November with the formation of a 15 km long magmatic dike is not over.
“With certainty it can be stated that a phase has started where a similar sequence of events might repeat in time.”
Authorities earlier warned that the “most likely” place for an eruption is east of Sýlingarfell, next to the famous tourist attraction.
A fortnight ago, the fishing town of Grindavik was evacuated after magma-induced seismic activity tore vast chasms through the streets.
Meanwhile, a volcanic eruption in Indonesia has killed at least 11 hikers. The 2,891-metre-tall Marapi volcano in West Sumatra province erupted on Sunday, spewing ash as high as 3km into the sky that rained volcanic debris onto nearby villages.
Key Points
Blue Lagoon extends closure till 9 December
Iceland struck by 180 earthquakes in last 48 hours
Icelandic Met Office warns ‘unrest not over’
Ground near power plant swells as chamber beneath floods with magma
What to do with Grindavík: Has Iceland’s #1 selfie spot just emerged out of the ground?
10:33 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
From the spectacular Northern Lights to the stunning waters of Blue Lagoon, Iceland is certainly not short of tourist attractions, writes Barney Davis.
But the country may have found another spot for tourists to take selfies in front of, after the small harbour town of Grindavík was hit by thousands of earthquakes.
As fears of an imminent volcanic eruption subside, the town is looking at how best to recover after streets were torn up and residents fled for safety.
The crater left behind in the wake of the chaos spreads from a Lutheran church and nursery all the way through a children’s playground and underneath the fabled Grindavík basketball team’s plush new stadium with the season about to start.
Iceland’s new #1 selfie spot may have emerged out of ground despite volcano threat
Inside the abandoned Iceland town left in limbo by a volcano
09:14 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
A sense of trepidation builds on the coach as we are waved through the roadblock that has held back people from returning to the Icelandic town of Grindavik amid an “imminent” volcanic eruption warning.
But the volunteer rescue forces posted on guard duty in battering 32mph winds have to follow the strict instructions of Iceland’s tourist minister. There is a lot of high-speed arguing in Icelandic, and eventually we pass through.
The coach is carrying the world’s media for the first time since the initial 5.2-magnitude earthquake gripped the globe’s attention. But after days of stalemate, fears of Iceland’s economy tanking, and rumours spreading of the entire country disappearing beneath the Atlantic, the government has reluctantly allowed the press to visit the site.
Read my colleague Barney Davis’s report from Grindavik:
Inside the abandoned Iceland town left in limbo by a volcano
50 earthquakes detected since midnight
08:12 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
A volcano specialist for the Icelandic Met Office said the “seismic activity has been rather similar” in recent days.
They said on 6 December: “Since midnight today about 50 earthquakes have been detected, most of them located near the central part of the dike intrusion. Yesterday approx. 220 earthquakes were detected near the dike intrusion.”
Iceland Met Office: ‘Unrest phase is not over’
07:02 , Maira Butt
On Tuesday Iceland’s Met Office continued its warning of a likely volcanic eruption as the official website read: “Warning: continued likelihood of an eruption”.
It went on to add that while seismic activity was decreasing, “the unrest phase is not over, difficult to say when and where the next dike will propagate”.
Grindavik residents demand pension funds lower interest rates
06:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Residents of Grindavik, the town at the epicentre of a possible volcano eruption, have urged pension funds to lower their interest rates and repayments on housing loans.
The entire town of nearly 4,000 people was evacuated last month amid fears of a volcanic eruption following a swarm of earthquakes.
Earlier commercial banks agreed to lower interest rates and repayments on housing loans for three months and residents are demanding pension funds follow suit.
Árni Guðmundsson, the director of Gildi pension fund, told locals: “Different rules and laws apply to us compared to the banks. Entirely different regulations and laws apply to us, and we just need our time to ensure that this is legally permissible for us.”
Iceland government warns it could be months before Grindavik residents can return home
05:57 , Maira Butt
Thousands of evacuated residents could find themselves displaced for months according to a press conference held by the Icelandic government last week.
The town which remains under an evacuation order could be empty for months according to the Iceland Review.
It suggested that a return home would depend on the state of the town’s utilities infrastructure, some of which has been damaged by powerful earthquakes since the threat of volcanic eruption emerged.
Municipal authorities are to assess the infrastructure with officials suggesting that residents could be permitted to move back into the town in stages.
Defensive wall construction around power plant ‘going very well’
05:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The construction of a defensive wall around the Svartsengi power plant to protect it from a volcanic eruption was “going very well”, said one of the engineers.
“We are starting to move closer to the Blue Lagoon, but that’s the only place that’s still left to do. On the Sundhnúkar crater row up on the hill, for example, the defence wall is almost done,” Ari Guðmundsson told the Iceland Monitor.
Between 60 and 70 construction workers have been engaging with the project round the clock, he said, although there was still no definitive date for wall’s completion.
“By mid-month, we should have a good picture, but we’ve already got more than half of all the material into the walls,” Mr Guðmundsson added.
In pictures: Grindavik’s residents remain displaced
05:01 , Maira Butt
Working hours extended for companies in Grindavik
04:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Authorities in the southern peninsula region have extended the daily window when commercial activities can be carried out in Grindavik, the town at the epicentre of the eruption warning that was initially completely evacuated.
Companies have been allowed to begin operations at 7am and continue until 9pm, according to state broadcaster RUV.
Businesses were asked to make sure their plumbing systems were in order along with an emergency evacuation plan for workers.
Grindavik residents are allowed to enter the town at 7am but asked to leave by 5pm.
TikToker and Lava Show co-founder create fundraiser for Grindavik residents as Christmas looms
03:51 , Maira Butt
Iceland’s Lava Show co-founder and TikToker LadyLava have joined forces to raise awareness of the situation in Grindavik by creating a fundraiser for those who have been affected by the threat of volcanic eruption in the town.
“It’s exactly three weeks since every single person had to evacuate Grindavik because a magma intrusion formed below the town. Its been three weeks and there’s still been complete uncertainty about whether or not it’s going to erupt, whether the people of Grindavik will be able to return home.
“They are still not at home and Christmas is coming and this must be incredibly difficult.”
Has Iceland’s #1 selfie spot just emerged out of the ground?
03:41 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
From the spectacular Northern Lights to the stunning waters of Blue Lagoon, Iceland is certainly not short of tourist attractions.
But the country may have found another spot for tourists to take selfies in front of, after the small harbour town of Grindavík was hit by thousands of earthquakes.
As fears of an imminent volcanic eruption subside, the town is looking at how best to recover after streets were torn up and residents fled for safety.
The crater left behind in the wake of the chaos spreads from a Lutheran church and nursery all the way through a children’s playground and underneath the fabled Grindavík basketball team’s plush new stadium with the season about to start.
Barney Davis reports from Grindavik.
Iceland’s new #1 selfie spot may have emerged out of ground despite volcano threat
Blue Lagoon: ‘It is still impossible to determine if, when, or where an eruption might occur'
02:51 , Maira Butt
A popular tourist spot in Iceland has extended closure of its facilities until 9 December as the Department for Civil Protection transitioned from a phase of emergency to “Alert”.
In a statement on their website, the popular Blue Lagoon said:
“The current closure of Blue Lagoon will remain in effect until 07:00 on December 9, at which point the situation will be reassessed.
“The current closure of Silica Hotel and Retreat Hotel will remain in effect until 07:00 on December 12, at which point the situation will be reassessed.
“As of now, it is still impossible to determine if, when, or where an eruption might occur. The Icelandic Meteorological Office, Civil Protection, and a team of scientists from the University of Iceland are closely monitoring the situation and analyzing the developments.”
Only 8km down to mantle beneath Reykjanes
02:02 , Maira Butt
Only 8km of earth stands beneath the surface of Reykjanes and the earth’s mantle according to analysis by the Icelandic Times.
Using existing information on earthquakes, it was found that no earthquakes took place deeper than 7 to 8km beneath the earth’s surface. Reporters suggested that the crust beneath the surface appears to be thin like an “oceanic crust”.
Almost all earthquakes happening in Grindavik recently appear to be shallow, according to reports.
Grindavik residents demand pension funds lower interest rates
00:56 , Maira Butt
Major commercial banks in Iceland agreed to lower interest rates and repayments on housing loans for three months for residents affected by the threat of a volcanic eruption in Grindavik.
However, residents say they want the pension funds to do the same, according to RUV.
One bank director said the situation was “under review” and that different laws and regulations applied to housing repayments versus pension funds.
Chairman of the Grindavík Labor Union told RÚV: “We received no real answers. They say it’s under review and it has been under review for an incredible amount of time, and they can’t find any reasons to support it. We were here protesting last Thursday and got the same answers. They just have no answers for us, and we’ll keep coming here until they come up with something sensible for us.”
Daring rescuers went back to save the pets from evacuated town
00:08 , Maira Butt
Barney Davis reports:
Hundreds of pets have been rescued from Iceland’s town of Grindavik, after they were separated from their owners over threats of an imminent volcanic eruption.
Charities have taken part in a number of rescue efforts in a bid to save animals in the town with rescuers returning to look for animals.
Cats, dogs, hamsters and even hens were at the centre of rescue efforts after many were left behind following evacuation orders which gave residents minutes to leave. Over 4,000 people were evacuated.
Charities and other organisations stepped in to save the day as many happy reunions took place amid the bittersweet circumstances.
Hannah Everson, manager of Kattholt Animal Shelter, said she went back to the town to search for animals. She was able to collect a total of 49 animals.
Icelandic government proposes tax increase due to situation in Grindavik
Tuesday 5 December 2023 22:51 , Maira Butt
Iceland’s coalition government has proposed new plans to increase taxation in an effort to curb inflation according to Heimildin.
It could see increases of up to 24 billion ISK in taxation for the Icelandic people with 6 billion allocated to finance actions affecting Grindavik, such as income insurance and rent support.
Government seeks rental housing for those evacuated from Grindavik
Tuesday 5 December 2023 21:58 , Maira Butt
The government of Iceland have put out a plea for properties suitable for temporary rentals for those evacuated from the town of Grindavik.
They said: “This action is intended to increase the availability of properties for this group and is part of the government’s housing support for Grindvíkinga, which also consists of wage support, rent subsidy (under the control of the parliament) and previously announced purchases of real estate by the government.
“Information about the properties will be collected on Ísland.is.”
A quarter of Grindavik kindergarten children attend new schools
Tuesday 5 December 2023 21:01 , Maira Butt
After threats of an eruption led to an evaucation of thousands, over fifty kindergarten children have attended school in Bakkakot in Grafarvogur, according to RUV, amounting to a quarter of Grindavik pre-schoolers.
Kindergarten in Iceland covers children aged from two until six.
A department at the pre-school was opened on Thursday so that children could spend time with others along with their parents as they are still unable to return home due to the risk of an eruption.
According to the director of the school, the arrangement was due to last six days but has been extended by another fortnight.
As of Tuesday, children have the option of staying six hours a day.
Flight and drone ban extended due to risk of eruption
Tuesday 5 December 2023 20:04 , Maira Butt
Iceland’s transportation office have extended a ban on drones and flights due to earthquakes in the Grindavik region.
In a statement on their website they said:
“Due to earthquakes in the vicinity of Grindavík, the previously issued flight and drone ban has been extended until December 15. Media will be granted conditional exemptions.
“At the request of the National Defense Coordination Centre, on behalf of the Police Commissioner in Suðurnes, the previously announced flight and drone ban has been extended until December 15th. The closure covers the same area as before.”
Key questions answered for residents in Grindavik
Tuesday 5 December 2023 19:00 , Alexander Butler
Residents of Grindavik have now been away from their homes for more than two weeks. As uncertainty hangs over when they will be able to return, they were able to put questions to the country’s leaders at an event this week, report local outlet RUV.is.
Here’s a round-up of some of the questions they asked:
Should the town have been evacuated earlier?
Víðir Reynisson, from the Icelandic police force, said it was not necessary to evacuate the town earlier. The first data from 10 November showed that the magma corridor was so far from the town that it would take days or even weeks for lava to flow to Grindavík in the event of an eruption, he said.
When will pipelines be fixed?
Works are underway with the project expected to take place over the winter with completion in early spring.
How you get compensation for a house?
Compensation reflects the damage that has occurred to the property. People have a year to report the damage.
Is it safe to travel to Iceland? Your rights if you have a holiday booked
Tuesday 5 December 2023 18:00 , Alexander Butler
The earth is at its most restless in Iceland right now. The Reykjanes peninsula, southwest of Reykjavik, is seething with seismic activity sparking hundreds of small earthquakes.
The town of Grindavík, just 10 miles south of Keflavik International Airport, has been evacuated as a precaution.
Yet flights are continuing to arrive and depart as normal. These are the key questions and answers on consumer rights.
Is it safe to travel to Iceland? Your rights if you have a holiday booked
‘It’s like a dystopian movie’: Iceland residents describe ‘apocalyptic’ scenes as they flee volcano threat
Tuesday 5 December 2023 17:00 , Alexander Butler
Residents from a small Icelandic town under threat from a volcanic eruption have described their ‘apocalyptic’ existence as they fear for their future.
Last Friday, thousands of Grindavik residents were ordered to leave as the town was rocked by hundreds of earthquakes. The small fishing town is 34 miles from Reykjavík and is home to the famous tourist attraction the Blue Lagoon.
Many have been unable to return to the ‘danger zone’ to collect their belongings, as earthquakes continue to strike the town.
Iceland residents describe ‘apocalyptic’ scenes as they flee volcano threat
When will the Iceland volcano erupt and what happens when it does?
Tuesday 5 December 2023 16:00 , Alexander Butler
As an imminent eruption looms thousands of Iceland residents await their fate as their town could be wiped out within days.
Thousands of earthquakes rocked the southwestern peninsula of Reykjanes on Saturday 11 November leading semi-molten rock to ravage below the surface as the tremors caused a 15km long dyke to form, cracking the community in two as the ground was pushed upwards.
Some 3,400 residents from the town of Grindavik which lies on the path of the expected fissure vent eruption were forced to evacuate, they described the ‘apocalyptic’ scenes of their much-loved home town as they briefly returned to collect their belongings.
When will the Iceland volcano erupt and what happens when it does?
Companies allowed to operate in Grindavik as public access restricted into town split in two
Tuesday 5 December 2023 09:34 , Barney Davis
The chief of police has extended the time that companies can stay open in Grindavík.
Companies can start operating at 7am and then work until 9pm.
As before, residents can enter the town 7am but must leave it at five in the afternoon.
Grindavík remains closed to public traffic, but it will be possible to enter the town via Suðurstrandarveg and Nesveg.
Cars will be counted in and out of the area, but people will not be followed Rescue teams will be on alert across the town.
200 Grindavik families still need housing
Tuesday 5 December 2023 07:57 , Alexander Butler
About 200 families are still in need of housing, according to Karl Pétur Jónsson, the information representative of the Executive Office.
The agency advertised this weekend for available apartments and private houses for rent for at least three months for families and individuals from Grindvís.
Hulda Ragnheiður Árnadóttir, CEO of Iceland’s Natural Disaster Insurance, says that there is a definite hole in the system, as there is only a fund intended for the purchase of properties that are in flood risk areas.
“We have not previously been in the position of having to release people from living in properties in dangerous areas that are not flood risk areas,” says Hulda.
Basketball court in Grindavik escapes damage
Tuesday 5 December 2023 06:17 , Barney Davis
The brand new sports centre in Grindavík has escaped “remarkably” well from the earthquakes in the town, the mayor said.
The giant crack goes underneath the new court and gymnasium holding the Grindavik Basketball team.
Fannar Jónasson, the mayor of Grindavík, said the sports hall remains undamaged on visual inspection.
“The crack goes under one corner of the new gymnasium. It’s design meant that it has not suffered any visible damage. The same is true for other sports facilities in the town.
“The design assumed that the house would tolerate some movement, some sliding, and nothing else can be seen but that it has worked,” says Fannar.
Professor doubts huge earthquakes of November 10 will repeat themselves
Tuesday 5 December 2023 03:17 , Barney Davis
Þorvaldur Þórðarson, professor of volcanology at the University of Iceland, says if the land mass on the Reykjanes Peninsula continues at the same rate as now an eruption could happen.
“It could then lead to an eruption or magma intrusion at an even lower depth, and there would be some earthquakes with that, but I think it’s unlikely that it will be directly under Grindavík,” says Þorvaldur.
But he added he doubts that the sequence of events on the eve of November 10 will repeat itself.
Cracks being measured by scientists after Grindavik earthquakes
Monday 4 December 2023 23:17 , Barney Davis
More pictures of the cracks in the earth around Grindavik have been taken by researchers.
Grindavík remains closed to public traffic.
Ground crack measurements and rock falls at Thorbjörn, north of Grindavik (Reykjanes Peninsula, SW Iceland), most occurred during the dike intrusion between the 10 and 11 November. pic.twitter.com/14jdodgc2z
— Joël Ruch (@VTLAB_Joel) December 4, 2023
What to do with Grindavík: Has Iceland’s #1 selfie spot just emerged out of the ground?
Monday 4 December 2023 17:39 , Barney Davis
From the spectacular Northern Lights to the stunning waters of Blue Lagoon, Iceland is certainly not short of tourist attractions.
But the country may have found another spot for tourists to take selfies in front of, after the small harbour town of Grindavík was hit by thousands of earthquakes.
As fears of an imminent volcanic eruption subside, the town is looking at how best to recover after streets were torn up and residents fled for safety.
The crater left behind in the wake of the chaos spreads from a Lutheran church and nursery all the way through a children’s playground and underneath the fabled Grindavík basketball team’s plush new stadium with the season about to start.
Iceland’s new #1 selfie spot may have emerged out of ground despite volcano threat
Biggest volcanic eruptions in the last 10 years as Iceland town faces devastation
Monday 4 December 2023 15:47 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
As Iceland waits in trepidation for the looming volcanic eruption, we take a look at some of the biggest volcanic eruptions in the last decade:
Biggest volcanic eruptions in the last 10 years as Iceland town faces devastation
Monday 4 December 2023 14:44 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Indonesia’s Mount Marapi spouts thick ash plumes after eruption kills 11 hikers
Volcano eruption in Indoesia spewed ash 3km into sky
Monday 4 December 2023 13:28 , Alexander Butler
The 2,891 metre high volcano that erupted in Indonesia spewed ash as high as 3km into the sky on Sunday.
Marapi is one of the most active volcanoes on Sumatra island and its most deadly eruption was in April 1979, when 60 people were killed. This year, it erupted between January and February and was spewing ash around 75 metres-1,000 metres from the peak.
Authorities raised the alert to the second-highest level and prohibited residents from going within 3 km of the crater.
Video footage showed a huge cloud of volcanic ash spread widely across the sky, and cars and roads covered with ash.
A small eruption on Monday morning prompted the search to be temporarily suspended for a few hours. The eruption spewed volcanic ash around 800 metres high.
Eleven climbers found dead in Indonesia after volcano erupts
Monday 4 December 2023 12:29 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Eleven climbers were found dead in Indonesia on Monday and 12 were missing after the Marapi volcano erupted in West Sumatra, a rescue official said, as search operations - which were halted temporarily over safety concerns - resumed.
Three survivors were found on Monday along with the bodies of the 11 climbers, out of 75 who were in the area at the time of Sunday’s eruption, said Jodi Haryawan, spokesperson for the search and rescue team, adding they were all local climbers.
“We have continued to search for the 12 missing climbers until this evening. We have not decided when we are going to stop the operation,” Jodi said in a phone call, adding they would continue evacuating the three survivors and bodies of climbers.
There were 49 climbers evacuated from the area earlier on Monday and many were being treated for burns, Jodi said.
It took around four to six hours to evacuate one dead body from the volcano, Jodi said, adding: “It’s very difficult.”
Volcano expert less convinced an eruption could occur
Monday 4 December 2023 11:07 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Þorvaldur Þórðarson, professor of volcanology at the University of Iceland, said he believes it is less likely that a volcanic eruption could occur based on the seismic activity on the Reykjanes peninsula.
“I’m becoming more and more inclined to believe that this will not end in an eruption,” he told The Iceland Monitor.
“The land rise is decreasing. It was rising quite fast about a week ago, but in some places the land rise has stopped. The land rise at Svartsengi has slowed down, and so one hopes that it will stop for now.”
Icelandic Met Office warns ‘unrest not over’
Monday 4 December 2023 10:29 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The Icelandic Met Office has said that while seismic activity is decreasing, the “unrest phase is not over”.
“The process which began on 25 October with a significant seismic swarm and peaked on 10 November with the formation of a 15 km long magmatic dike is not over.
“With certainty it can be stated that a phase has started where a similar sequence of events might repeat in time.”
Iceland struck by 180 earthquakes in last 48 hours
Monday 4 December 2023 09:03 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Iceland has been rocked by 180 earthquakes in the last 48 hours in areas both near and far from the town of Grindavik, the Icelandic Met Office has reported.
The magnitude of the earthquakes ranged from 0.7 to 2.4, with the highest magnitude quake striking on Monday morning.
At least 11 hikers killed and a dozen missing after Indonesia volcano eruption
Monday 4 December 2023 07:49 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
At least 11 hikers were found dead on Monday following a huge eruption at the Marapi volcano in Indonesia, as efforts continue to find another dozen climbers who have been reported missing.
Three survivors were found near the volcano’s crater, described as being in a weak condition and having suffered burns.
The 2,891-metre-tall Marapi volcano in West Sumatra province erupted on Sunday, spewing ash as high as 3km into the sky that rained volcanic debris onto nearby villages.
At least 11 hikers killed and dozen missing after Indonesia volcano eruption
Met says inflammation in Svartsengi continues 'at a fairly stable rate'
Monday 4 December 2023 06:00 , Shweta Sharma
The Icelandic Met Office has said the “seismicity on the peninsula continues to decrease” but signs of magma movement and inflation persist.
“For the past few days, the automatic earthquake location system has been detecting relatively few earthquakes, mostly micro-earthquakes below magnitude one. The most recent seismicity is concentrated in the area between Sýlingarfell and Hagafell, where most likely the dike is fed by magma accumulating beneath Svartsengi,” it said in the latest update.
It added that although the seismic activity in the region around the dike is currently at a low level, the inflation process, likely associated with the movement of magma beneath the surface, continues steadily.
“Even though the activity along the dike and its vicinity is now occurring at very low intensity, the inflation which started in Svartsengi few days after the dike formed, continues at a fairly stable rate,” it said.
“Some cGPS stations around Svartsengi and Mt Þorbjörn show a slow declining trend, but other stations still show a constant trend suggesting that the inflow rate of magma at depth has not reduced significantly.”
Danger posed to workers as new hole opens up close to Grindavik
Monday 4 December 2023 03:00 , Alexander Butler
A new hole opened up underneath an excavator working around the great chasm that appeared in Grindavík.
“I’m working on a crawler around the big crack and fixing pipes. I was going over it and then it sank under me,” Henry Ásgeirsson, a digger for Jóni and Margeiri told MBL.
He says the area is all cracked and really dangerous.
A colleague Jón Berg Reynisson, took photographs of the opening.
“We never know what lies ahead of us in these jobs, but there the hole was not bigger. The earth can sink down and we don’t know how deep and wide it is,” he says.
“We try to be careful, but anything can happen in this area.”
Mayor praying Grindavik can reopen soon with restoration efforts underway
Monday 4 December 2023 01:00 , Alexander Butler
Fannar Jónasson, the town’s mayor, expressed optimism in a recent interview with Vísir.
“We’re seeing a variety of businesses expressing interest in reopening. With available housing and machinery for production and services, people are returning and taking advantage of these opportunities to keep their businesses afloat,” he stated.
Fannar emphasised the growing sense of community and mutual support in Grindavík.
“It’s great to see how supportive everyone is. Those working need access to food and services. There are also machine shops and wood workshops , among other businesses, which are reopening. So it is all interconnected, and life here is in its infancy, once again, ushering in what we hope marks the start of a positive era.”
Has Iceland’s #1 selfie spot just emerged out of the ground?
Sunday 3 December 2023 22:00 , Alexander Butler
From the spectacular Northern Lights to the stunning waters of Blue Lagoon, Iceland is certainly not short of tourist attractions.
But the country may have found another spot for tourists to take selfies in front of, after the small harbour town of Grindavík was hit by thousands of earthquakes.
As fears of an imminent volcanic eruption subside, the town is looking at how best to recover after streets were torn up and residents fled for safety.
Read the full story from our reporter Barney Davis here
Iceland’s new #1 selfie spot may have emerged out of ground despite volcano threat
Inside the abandoned Iceland town left in limbo by a volcano
Sunday 3 December 2023 19:00 , Alexander Butler
A sense of trepidation builds on the coach as we are waved through the roadblock that has held back people from returning to the Icelandic town of Grindavik amid an “imminent” volcanic eruption warning.
But the volunteer rescue forces posted on guard duty in battering 32mph winds have to follow the strict instructions of Iceland’s tourist minister. There is a lot of high-speed arguing in Icelandic, and eventually we pass through.
Inside the abandoned Iceland town left in limbo by a volcano
Is it safe to travel to Iceland?
Sunday 3 December 2023 16:00 , Alexander Butler
Inside the abandoned Iceland town left in limbo by a volcano
Every resident of an Icelandic town was evacuated due to a volcano. Daring rescuers went back to save the pets
Sunday 3 December 2023 15:00 , Alexander Butler
Hundreds of pets have been rescued from Iceland’s town of Grindavik, after they were separated from their owners over threats of an imminent volcanic eruption.
Charities have taken part in a number of rescue efforts in a bid to save animals in the town with rescuers returning to look for animals.
Cats, dogs, hamsters and even hens were at the centre of rescue efforts after many were left behind following evacuation orders which gave residents minutes to leave. Over 4,000 people were evacuated.
Charities and other organisations stepped in to save the day as many happy reunions took place amid the bittersweet circumstances.
Rescue effort to save pets left behind in Iceland town evacuated by volcano threat
Mount Etna spits lava and billows smoke into night sky
Sunday 3 December 2023 13:00 , Alexander Butler
Moving a bit further south from Iceland stunning footage of Italy’s Mount Etna spitting lava and billowing smoke into the night sky emerged on the morning of 1 December.
Whilst it’s a relatively timid explosion, Mount Etna erupts frequently and creates plumes of ashes that threaten to disrupt Catania’s nearby airport.
The Sicilian volcano is currently in a period of blast activity that began in the middle of November 2023.
Mount Etna is believed to have the longest documented history of eruptions among all volcanoes, with records dating back to as early as 425 B.C.
Mount Etna spits lava and billows smoke into night sky
First Grindavik back in business
Sunday 3 December 2023 10:00 , Alexander Butler
A Grindavik restaurant has reopened for business, the first since the town was evacuated due to the looming threat of eruption.
However, for now at least, Varar’s Seaman’s Club is only open for a few hours a day initially.
Owner Vilhjálmur Jóhann Lárusson told mbl.is around 150 people came back through the door for its first lunch service back.
Mr Lárusson said people had tired of having nothing but sandwiches for three weeks.
Scenes from sub zero Iceland as winter approaches
Sunday 3 December 2023 09:10 , Alexander Butler
A reminder below of the conditions in Iceland at this time of year as winter approaches.
The Icelandic Cricket Association has this afternoon posted a clip from an unspecific part of the country. showing the landscape covered in ice and snow.
Temperatures have plunged even further than the UK this week, dipping to -7C in parts of the island nation.
Is it safe to travel to Iceland? Your rights if you have a holiday booked
Sunday 3 December 2023 07:49 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The earth is at its most restless in Iceland right now. The Reykjanes peninsula, southwest of Reykjavik, is seething with seismic activity sparking hundreds of small earthquakes.
The town of Grindavík, just 10 miles south of Keflavik International Airport, has been evacuated as a precaution.
Yet flights are continuing to arrive and depart as normal. These are the key questions and answers on consumer rights.
Is it safe to travel to Iceland? Your rights if you have a holiday booked
‘It’s like a dystopian movie’: Iceland residents describe ‘apocalyptic’ scenes as they flee volcano threat
Sunday 3 December 2023 05:00 , Joe Middleton
Residents from a small Icelandic town under threat from a volcanic eruption have described their ‘apocalyptic’ existence as they fear for their future.
Last Friday, thousands of Grindavik residents were ordered to leave as the town was rocked by hundreds of earthquakes. The small fishing town is 34 miles from Reykjavík and is home to the famous tourist attraction the Blue Lagoon.
Many have been unable to return to the ‘danger zone’ to collect their belongings, as earthquakes continue to strike the town.
Iceland residents describe ‘apocalyptic’ scenes as they flee volcano threat
