Iceland volcano – live: Eruption could happen with just 30 minutes warning as magma ‘very close’ to surface
Authorities fear the Iceland volcano could erupt with just 30 minutes notice as the country’s Meteorological Office (IMO) warned magma may have reached very high up in the Earth’s crust.
Kristín Jónsdóttir, head of department at the Icelandic Meteorological Office, said people will “just have to wait in suspense for the next few days” to see how events play out.
She said the decreasing earthquake activity over the last 24 hours could be a sign that magma has reached very close to the earth’s surface, adding that the scenario is not unlike what was seen prior to a previous eruption in 2021.
Authorities fear they could get as little as “30 minutes notice” before the anticipated volcanic eruption. “All the big signs are already there, so we are looking for the small signs, the signs that say that even though we are monitoring very closely,” Vídir Reynisson, chief of civil protection added.
The Met Office said magmatic gas has been detected at a borehole in Svartsengi, signalling an imminent eruption of the Fagradalsfjall volcano over the coming days, with the town of Grindavik most at risk.
Key Points
Icelandic authorities fear sudden volcano eruption
Ground near power plant swells as chamber beneath floods with magma
Peninsula braced for new ‘eruptive cycle’ to bring decades of volcanic instability
When will Iceland volcano erupt and what happens when it does?
Is it safe to travel to Iceland? Your rights if you have a holiday booked
In pictures: Town at site of eruption closed by search and rescue roadblock
10:15 , Barney Davis in Reyjavik
The sun is rising at the Search and Rescue roadblock at Grindavavikurvegur letting 18 wheeler lorries out but no residents in.
The recently expanded lockdown zone from the north side has closed the only available road to the thermal baths of Blue Lagoon.
‘Leave the area!’: Emergency alerts sent to people around Grindavik
09:46 , Barney Davis (in Reykjavik)
The Independent’s Barney Davis is reporting live from the ground in Iceland.
People have received a text message from 112 emergency updates.
“The area around Grindavík has been closed. No entry – LEAVE THE AREA!”
Rescue teams say eruption “now a waiting game"
09:21 , Barney Davis (in Reykjavik)
Iceland watches on helplessly as rescue workers escorting locals back to the evacuated fishing town of Grindavik say it is “now a waiting game” before an eruption.
Gripped viewers are glued to main TV News channel RUV.is as it plays a live stream of the glowing crater with modern Icelandic electronic music underneath as the countdown continued on Tuesday.
Jon Baglundsson, spokesperson for the ICE-SAR, a volunteer rescue team escorting hundreds to retrieve valuables, said it’s “now a waiting game”.
He told The Independent: “Since the village was evacuated over a week ago we have been working to let residents retrieve their most heartfelt valuables in small numbers every day.
“This project has been going quite well and running smoothly.
“This takes time, there are 1,200 homes. People are mostly coming back for pictures of children, grandchildren on hard drives or whatever people store on their memories nowadays.”
Read the full piece here.
Iceland's Met Office records 'considerably' fewer earthquakes overnight
07:45 , Barney Davis
From midnight there have been around 50 earthquakes detected centred around the magmatic intrusion near Grindavík compared to the 1,500-1,800 earthquakes that jolted the town daily.
The Met Office added that no events larger than Magnitude 2.0 have been detected today, so far.
A spokesman conceded: “It can be anticipated that the intense weather passing over the country affects the sensitivity of the seismic network to detect micro-earthquakes, making it difficult to assess whether the seismic activity is decreasing.
“Waves affect the low-frequency signals in the seismometers where waves appear as noise. Fog and dark hail also affect the visual confirmation of the eruption with cameras.”
Is it safe to travel to Iceland?
07:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
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.
Simon Calder has more.
Is it safe to travel to Iceland? Your rights if you have a holiday booked
Eruption at magma dyke would likely be within days, says top official
07:00 , Alexander Butler
If an eruption is going to occur in the magma dyke near Grindavik, it will likely be “within days”, Iceland’s civil defence chief has said.
According to Iceland’s national broadcaster RUV, Víðir Reynisson told reporters this morning: “We have very clear signs of magma along the dyke. It is estimated at less than 1km depth.
“Since then we have not seen signs of it getting closer to the surface. The likely time of something happening along the dyke, especially in the center, if it happens, is within days not weeks.
“If this continues without an eruption the chance of one decreases with time pretty rapidly. But then we see the changes at Svartsengi which possibly introduce the next stage of this.”
Iceland residents fleeing imminent volcanic eruption told they face months away from home
06:30 , Alexander Butler
At a Civil Defence briefing last week, director Víðir Reynisson said there was significant damage to houses and pipes in the evacuated town of Grindavik, my colleague Athena Stavrou reports.
The fishing town has been the most affected area in Iceland, as the magma tunnel snakes beneath the ground leaving huge cracks in roads.
While the eruption is most likely to happen in Hagafell, there is a possibility that it could happen anywhere along the magma tunnel.
Mr Reynisson said: “This plus uncertainty about earthquakes means that residents have to prepare to live elsewhere in the coming months.”
Locals have been permitted to briefly enter their homes for five minutes this week to collect their valuables and pets but need prior authorisation.
Iceland officials reveal where volcano will likely erupt
Journalists call for media access to Grindavik
06:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Journalists in Iceland have criticised the authorities for restricting media access to the small fishing town of Grindavik, which was evacuated ahead of an imminent volcanic eruption.
“It is the role of the media to gather information, share information, allow the voice of the public to be heard and provide restraint to the authorities,” said Erla Björg Gunnarsdóttir, editor of the Vísis newsroom.
“These restrictions in Grindavik prevent this role of the media altogether,” the editor was quoted by state broadcaster RUV as saying.
Þorsteinn Ásgrímsson Melén, deputy news director of mbl.is, said: “There are many things that need to be monitored and it is natural that the media have their eyes on it.”
Both editors claimed that the government did not consult with the media before shutting down access to reporters.
“We need to stop treating the media like naughty kids on a field trip to Grindavik. We cannot convincingly tell about what is happening in Grindavik while reporters are not allowed to enter,” Ms Erla added.
Met Office says stormy weather could disrupt monitoring systems
05:42 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Authorities in Iceland fear stormy weather conditions could affect monitoring systems as the country awaits an “imminent” volcanic eruption.
Just 165 small tremors have been recorded in the affected region since midnight on Monday, compared to the thousands that jolted the town of Grindavik in the days prior.
The IMO said it is likely the adverse weather conditions are impacting “both the sensitivity of earthquake detection and real-time GPS monitoring”.
“Waves affect the low-frequency signals in the seismometers where waves appear as noise. Fog and dark hail also affect the visual confirmation of the eruption with cameras,” it added.
Owners of over 100 properties allowed to enter Grindavik briefly
05:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The owners of more than 100 properties were allowed to enter Grindavik briefly to collect their belongings that were left behind during the evacuation last week.
Nearly 4,000 residents of the small fishing town were evacuated after a swarm of earthquakes triggered a volcano eruption warning.
All the residents were asked to arrive at a meeting point outside Grindavik, following which they were escorted into the town and back by security personnel.
Businesses operating in Grindavik to receive housing assistance
05:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Companies and businesses operating in the small fishing town of Grindavik would be able to request assistance in finding housing.
Companies are urged to register information related to their business on the website island.is/grindavik.
They have been asked to fill in the minimum requirement in square metres and the "number of employees at the company that need work facilities on the premises".
Area near power plant entering ‘new eruption phase’, says volcanologist
04:30 , Alexander Butler
The area near the Svartsengi power plant has entered a “new eruption phase”, an Icelandic volcanologist has suggested.
The land near the power plant is swelling as a chamber some 4.5 kilometres below the surface fills with magma at a rate of around 50 cubic metres per second, according to Professor Thorvaldur Thordarson – in a repeat of the events which saw huge fissures appear in the ground earlier this month.
“I think the likelihood of an eruption in the northern part of the Sundhnúkar crater row or in Illahraun lava increasing every day. I think the likelihood of an eruption there is increasing because of the land rise in that area,” Professor Thordarson told Iceland Monitor.
He added: “We’re in a new and a changed situation and we’ve entered a new the eruption phase, and so it’s very constructive for us to think about what kind of preventive measures we can take. What can we do before an eruption occurs that will help us reduce its impact on society and infrastructure?”
Roads crack open in Grindavik
04:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Fewer earthquakes recorded ahead of ‘imminent’ volcanic eruption
03:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Just 165 earthquakes, all below magnitude 2 on the Richter scale, were recorded on Tuesday ahead of the anticipated volcanic eruption, the Icelandic Met Office (IMO) said.
This is considerably fewer than in the last few days when 1,500-1,800 earthquakes were recorded per day.
However, officials said this did not necessarily mean that seismic activity had reduced.
“It can be expected that the intense weather passing over the country has an impact on the sensitivity of the seismic monitoring system to detect the smallest earthquakes, making it difficult to assess whether the seismic activity is decreasing overall,” the Met Office said.
Iceland braces for ‘imminent’ volcanic eruption with just 30 minutes warning
03:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Iceland watches on helplessly as rescue workers escorting locals back to the evacuated fishing town of Grindavik say it is “now a waiting game” before an eruption.
Gripped viewers are glued to state broadcaster RUV as it plays a live stream of the glowing crater with modern Icelandic electronic music underneath as the countdown continued on Tuesday.
It comes as 1,200 households scramble to grab as many “heartfelt” objects as they can under observation from rescue teams from the town above the volatile Reykjanes Peninsula.
The police checkpoint lies 25km (15.5 miles) away from the town but only 12km (7.5 miles) from cracks starting to form across the roads and stretching far into the mountains.
Barney Davis reports from Rejkavik.
Iceland glued to ‘imminent’ volcano eruption amid 30 minute warning
Ground near power plant swells as chamber beneath floods with magma
02:30 , Alexander Butler
The land near the Svartsengi power plant is now rising even faster than it did prior to the subterranean events which led to huge cracks appearing in the ground there earlier this month, a volcanologist has said.
Land swelling is common prior to volcanic eruptions, and Professor Thorvaldur Thordarson said the ground is now rising some 5.5 times faster than it did 10 days ago, with the flow of magma into the storage chamber – which sits 4.5km below the surface – now around 10 times faster, at around 50 cubic metres per second.
“The land is rising much faster now. This happens simultaneously because the magma is creating space and thus raising the surface of the earth,” Professor Thordarson told Iceland Monitor.
If this speed continues, the volcanologist believes the Svartsengi power plant will have reached its previous position in five to 15 days.
“What happens then, it’s hard to tell,” he said. “We might get an eruption, we might have a re-run of the activitites that happened on 10 November or just something completely new.”
‘It’s like a dystopian movie’: Iceland residents describe ‘apocalyptic’ scenes as they flee volcano threat
00:30 , Lydia Patrick
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
Iceland earthquakes: Huge cracks appear on roads in town at risk of volcanic eruption
Tuesday 21 November 2023 22:30 , Alexander Butler
New hazard map issued
Tuesday 21 November 2023 20:30 , Lydia Patrick
The existing hazard map has been published to show where the biggest seismic risks are for the area around Grindavík and Svartsengi
The new map covers a wider hazard area than the previous map.
The Iceland Monitor explains the three different zones.
Orange: Danger zone A: Danger due to seismic activity.
Red: Danger zone B: Danger due to possible eruption, including earth cracking open suddenly, eruption with little forewarning, lava flow and dangerous gas pollution
Purple: Danger zone C: Increased danger of eruption like in zone B, and even more danger of the earth opening suddenly and dangerous gas pollution.
In this zone escape routes need to be clear, gas monitors and gas masks are needed if entering the area.
The purple area is the highest danger zone , encompassing Hagafell, north east of the town of Grindavik.
When will the Iceland volcano erupt and what happens when it does?
Tuesday 21 November 2023 19:30 , Lydia Patrick
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.
The whole population waits in limbo as they fear the fate of their close-knit community, many have already lost their homes whilst others do not know if their residencies still stand as earthquakes have continued to strike.
When will the Iceland volcano erupt and what happens when it does?
Watch - Police shut down roads as island prepares for eruption
Tuesday 21 November 2023 18:30 , Lydia Patrick
Harsh weather conditions making seismograph readings less accurate
Tuesday 21 November 2023 17:29 , Lydia Patrick
Páll Einarsson, a volcanologist from the University of Iceland said it has been difficult to take seismic readings today due to wind.
Due to windy conditions, the seismograp readings are less accurate, meaning it is harder to trace seismic activity says the professor.
He told the Independent: “The earthquakes are useful, they tell us where things are happening.
“It is extra difficult to measure since the weather is bad and windy, the seisomograph is less accurate.”
In pictures - Reporter reaches ‘end of the road’
Tuesday 21 November 2023 16:29 , Lydia Patrick
Reporter Barney Davis reports from Iceland but cannot get further than 24km away from Grindavik near Suðurstrandarvegur since the entire area is blocked off for visitors.
He says the only thing allowed past the checkpoint is a van, carrying a portaloo.
‘The uncertainty is probably the worst’ - rescue worker reveals precarity of residents brief return
Tuesday 21 November 2023 15:30 , Lydia Patrick
Barney Davies reporting from Iceland spoke with Jon Baglundsson, spokesperson for the ICE-SAR a volunteer rescue team
Residents of the evacuated town of Grindavik have been allowed to swiftly return to their homes to collect their belongings.
Jon Baglundsson told The Independent how they manage to keep safe as they face a looming disaster.
Mr Baglundsson said: “We always have concerns for their safety and that is why people are allowed in few numbers and escorted by people from search and rescue teams who have a radio on them at all times.
“They are prepared with an escape route if something happens and will receive alerts from scientists at the Met Office if there are any indications an eruption is more imminent than it already is.
“When magma breaks to the surface you can read on seismological metres like some kind of a murmur and lot of small tremors. Which indicates that magma is reaching the last 100 metres to the surface.
“There hasn’t been panicking but they do realise what can happen, they show understanding and have concern for their own safety.
“You can just imagine being evacuated from your home, to have no idea when you can return or if you will have the home to return to.
“The uncertainty is probably the worst.”
On-the ground - How the rescue mission has unfolded so far
Tuesday 21 November 2023 15:15 , Lydia Patrick
Our on-the-ground reporter Barney Davis has just landed in Reykjavík to bring you all the latest volcanic updates.
First off, he spoke to Jon Baglundsson, a spokesperson for the ICE-SAR a volunteer rescue team who have been escorting hundreds of people back to their homes to retrieve valuables.
He told the Independent: “It’s a waiting game.
“Since the village was evacuated over a week ago we have been working to let residents retrieve their most heartfelt valuables in small numbers everyday.“
This project has been going quite well and running smoothly even today.
“This takes time there are 1,200 homes that have to be returned to for pictures of children and grandchildren on hard drives.
“Regarding the seismic activity [it] has dwindled down but land is still rising to the northwest of the town.
“An eruption is still expected and imminent but we just don’t know when or where. There is not a time limit but they are asked to go as quickly as they can.”
Drilling for emergency water source underway
Tuesday 21 November 2023 14:30 , Lydia Patrick
Utility agency HS Veitur started drilling yesterday for an alternative water source and heating supply for Reykjanesbær and Suðurnesjabær in case seismic activity causes supply issues, says RUV.
The geothermal spring lies between Garð and Sandgerðim in Árnarétt, SuðurnesjabærPáll Erland, CEO of HS Veitur explained the diffculty of ensuring residents have alternative hot water supplies during an emergency since a huge amount of energy and power comes from the current water source in Lágir.
Mr Erland told RUV that 25,000 residents and businesses will be able to access water from the new source and his team has also strengthened electricity infrastructure.
Biggest volcanic eruptions in the last 10 years
Tuesday 21 November 2023 14:00 , Lydia Patrick
Iceland’s town of Grindavik faces a catastrophic countdown to a volcanic eruption that could see its destruction, experts have warned.
Almost 4,000 people were evacuated from Grindavik over the weekend as authorities feared that molten rock would rise to the surface of the earth and potentially hit the coastal town and a geothermal power station.
It comes as the country has been shaken by more than 880 small earthquakes, prompting fears that the tremors could disrupt the Fagradalsfjall volcano on the Reykjanes peninsula in the southwest of the country.
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.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain has the full story
Biggest volcanic eruptions in the last 10 years as Iceland town faces devastation
Some hope for Grindavík as rescue workers share their findings
Tuesday 21 November 2023 12:50 , Lydia Patrick
A rescue worker in Grindavik says the damage to the town is less severe than people feared, report RUV.
Otti Rafn Sigmarsson is a rescue worker and part of the Þörbjörn team who have carried out repair works in the town which has been hit by hundreds of earthquakes and evacuated due to the imminent volcanic threats, say the state broadcaster.
Many Grindavikians say the streets are badly damaged as a huge crack formed in the town and quakes rocked the buildings.
However, Mr Sigmarsson says the damage is ‘less than people think’.
Another member of the team, Otti Rafn, told the news outlet that despite many homes near the crack are badly damaged, the situation elsewhere is much better.
On Sunday, 180 homes lost heat but repair works have helped fix supply problems to over half of those problems, and most of the town still has electricity, saysRUV.
Many facilities such as schools and sports halls remain standing and undamaged signalling hope to the displaced people who long to return home.
ICYMI - Where do scientists predict the volcano will erupt?
Tuesday 21 November 2023 12:17 , Lydia Patrick
Experts have revealed the likely eruption site of a volcano in Iceland, as authorities warn evacuees they may not return home for months.
Iceland has seen more than 1,700 earthquakes in the last 24 hours, according to the country’s Met Office, with most of the activity north of Hagafell.
The forecaster said magmatic gas has been detected at a borehole in Svartsengi, signalling an imminent eruption of the Fagradalsfjall volcano over the coming days.
“Hagafell is thought to be a prime location for an eruption,” the forecaster said.
Iceland officials reveal where volcano will likely erupt
When will the Iceland volcano erupt and what happens when it does?
Tuesday 21 November 2023 11:40 , Lydia Patrick
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.
The whole population waits in limbo as they fear the fate of their close-knit community, many have already lost their homes whilst others do not know if their residencies still stand as earthquakes have continued to strike.
When will the Iceland volcano erupt and what happens when it does?
New hazard map issued
Tuesday 21 November 2023 11:10 , Lydia Patrick
The existing hazard map has been published to show where the biggest seismic risks are for the area around Grindavík and Svartsengi
The new map covers a wider hazard area than the previous map.
The Iceland Monitor explains the three different zones.
Orange: Danger zone A: Danger due to seismic activity.
Red: Danger zone B: Danger due to possible eruption, including earth cracking open suddenly, eruption with little forewarning, lava flow and dangerous gas pollution
Purple: Danger zone C: Increased danger of eruption like in zone B, and even more danger of the earth opening suddenly and dangerous gas pollution.
In this zone escape routes need to be clear, gas monitors and gas masks are needed if entering the area.
Mapped -
Tuesday 21 November 2023 10:40 , Lydia Patrick
Previous eruptions in Reykjanes
Tuesday 21 November 2023 09:50 , Lydia Patrick
A volcanic system on the Reykjanes Peninsula has erupted three times since 2021, after being dormant for 800 years. Previous eruptions occurred in remote valleys without causing damage.
The first eruption in Mt. Fagradalsfjall started on March 19th, 2021 at 8:45 PM after increased seismic activity dating back to January 2020, say visit Reykjanes.
.The eruption was steady in the valley of Geldingadalir for about six months and attracted tourists to come and visit the spectacle and the eruption was declared as over in December 2021.
An eruption started again in Mt. Fagradalsfjall, in the valley of Meradalir in August 2022 however the fissures opened only 1 km north of the previous eruption site and it lasted three weeks.
The third eruption in three years started on the 10 July 2023 and is still ongoing, report visit Reykjanes
Over 1000 earthquakes since yesterday
Tuesday 21 November 2023 09:20 , Lydia Patrick
Over 1000 earthquakes have struck in the region of the magma intrusion since yesterday, reported the Icelandic Met Office.
The largest quake was magnitude 2.7 near to Hagafell, said the IMO.
In recent days, between 1,500 and 1,800 daily earthquakes have been measured in the region, with the largest event registering magnitude 3.0 last Friday
Explained - Cause of earthquakes and volcanos in Iceland
Tuesday 21 November 2023 08:50 , Lydia Patrick
Iceland lies on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates move apart at about 2cm a year, Tamsin Mathers a Oxford University professor in Earth sciences told the Independent.
She wrote in the Conversation: “In the Earth’s mantle below ground, where rocks behave like very stiff toffee, the plates can extend continuously.
“But near the surface, the rocks of Earth’s crust are cold and brittle, and they can only stretch by breaking.
“Like pulling the ends of a chocolate bar with a soft interior but a hard shell, the build-up of strain as the plates pull apart is released in bursts as the coating breaks.”
As the plates move apart, both sides move upwards leading to ground defamation (sinking) in some places and rising in other places.
Icelandic Met Office warns of ‘significant crustal uplift'
Tuesday 21 November 2023 08:06 , Tara Cobham
The Icelandic Met Office has warned of “significant crustal uplift” in the area of Svartseng.
The review of the images by experts comes as Iceland has been recording between 1,500 and 1,800 daily earthquakes in recent days.
Based on radar imagery from 18 and 19 November 2023, the latest interferogram of the magma intrusion and the surrounding area shows significant crustal uplift in the vicinity of Svartsengi. https://t.co/9vYBBjNKMH pic.twitter.com/REnTjf2dRM
— Veðurstofa Íslands / Icelandic Met Office (@Vedurstofan) November 20, 2023
When will Iceland volcano erupt and what happens when it does?
Tuesday 21 November 2023 07:44 , Tara Cobham
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.
Lydia Patrick reports:
When will the Iceland volcano erupt and what happens when it does?
Iceland volcano eruption warning forces residents in Grindavik to evacuate
Tuesday 21 November 2023 07:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Iceland residents told they face months away from home
Tuesday 21 November 2023 06:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Experts have revealed the likely eruption site of a volcano in Iceland, as authorities warn evacuees they may not return home for months.
The forecaster said magmatic gas has been detected at a borehole in Svartsengi, signalling an imminent eruption of the Fagradalsfjall volcano over the coming days.
“Hagafell is thought to be a prime location for an eruption,” the forecaster said.
Athena Stavrou has more.
Iceland officials reveal where volcano will likely erupt
Iceland earthquakes: Are flights still running amid fears of volcano eruption?
Tuesday 21 November 2023 06:00 , Simon Calder
Iceland earthquakes: Are flights still running amid fears over volcano eruption?
Icelandic authorities race against time to fortify power plant
Tuesday 21 November 2023 05:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Authorities in Iceland have ordered the construction of two giant walls to protect a power plant in the event of an imminent volcanic eruption as they fear the situation could change with “little warning”.
One wall was made 26ft high to fortify the Svartsengi power plant, while construction for another 2.4-mile semi-circle wall was underway just above the small town of Grindavik.
Vidir Reynisson, chief of civil protection and emergency management, told The Mirror that their biggest challenge was to save the power plant from the lava.
“We have plans for the electricity but still there is a lot of challenge around the hot water,” he said.
“If we were to put electric heaters in all the homes in the area we would drain the power system just for that.”
Iceland Met Office updates danger zone in new map
Tuesday 21 November 2023 05:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The Icelandic Met Office (IMO) on Monday updated its hazard assessment map for the area of Grindavik and Svartsengi based on satellite images.
The danger zone compared to the previous maps has been expanded to include three broad categories.
A very high danger zone measuring about 2-3km across is marked in purple, while the area around it in red denotes high risk and yellow is moderate.
The highest risk zone in the centre of the 15km-long rift is marked with a dashed red line.
When will the Iceland volcano erupt?
Tuesday 21 November 2023 04:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
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.
The whole population waits in limbo as they fear the fate of their close-knit community, many have already lost their homes whilst others do not know if their residencies still stand as earthquakes have continued to strike.
Lydia Patrick reports.
When will the Iceland volcano erupt and what happens when it does?
Is it safe to travel to Iceland? Your rights if you have a holiday booked
Tuesday 21 November 2023 04:00 , Simon Calder
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
Icelandic authorities fear sudden volcano eruption
Tuesday 21 November 2023 03:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Authorities in Iceland said they could get as little as “30 minutes notice” before the anticipated volcanic eruption near the small fishing town of Grindavik in the southwest of the country.
“The challenge that we have is that we will not see any strong evidence that the magma is coming up, we will see some small earthquakes and we can see how they will probably form in one place rather than another,” Vídir Reynisson, the head of the civil protection and emergency management agency, told Fox News.
“We will maybe get a 30-minute notice before the eruption starts. That is what we are working with.”
“All the big signs are already there, so we are looking for the small signs, the signs that say that even though we are monitoring very closely, it could be 30 minutes or less from now on until the eruption starts, but that could go on for days or weeks,” he added.
Nearly 700 tremors detected near magma intrusion in Iceland, says Met Office
Tuesday 21 November 2023 03:02 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
About 700 earthquakes were detected from Sunday midnight to Monday evening in the region of the magma intrusion, with the largest being of 2.7 magnitude, the Icelandic Met Office (IMO) said.
It said there has been a significant crustal uplift in the vicinity of the Svartsengi power plant, located just 4km from the fishing town of Grindavik, which was evacuated amid fears of a volcanic eruption.
“The clear sign of crustal uplift in Svartsengi region does not change the likelihood of an eruption from the magma intrusion,” the Met Office said.
“This is assessed, amongst other things, on the fact that the Earth’s crust over the magma intrusion is much weaker than the crust over the uplift region close to Svartsengi.
“As long as there is not significant seismicity in the Svartsengi region, there is not a high likelihood of an eruption at that location.”
Watch: Iceland volcano eruption warning forces residents to evacuate
Tuesday 21 November 2023 02:00 , Alexander Butler
Residents of a fishing town in south-western Iceland have left their homes after fears of a volcanic eruption caused civil defence authorities to declare a state of emergency in the region.
Police decided to evacuate Grindavik after recent seismic activity in the area moved south towards the town and monitoring indicated that a corridor of magma, or semi-molten rock, now extends under the community, Iceland’s meteorological office said.
The town of 3,400 is on the Reykjanes Peninsula, about 30 miles south-west of the capital, Reykjavik.
Iceland volcano eruption warning forces residents in Grindavik to evacuate
Biggest volcanic eruptions in the last 10 years as Iceland town faces devastation
Tuesday 21 November 2023 00:01 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Three eruptions have taken place on the peninsula of Reykjanes near the Fagradalsfjall volcano in the last three years: in March 2021, August 2022 and July 2023.
However, previous eruptions did not cause damage, having occurred in remote valleys.
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
Iceland volcano could erupt like a ‘can of fizzy drink’
Monday 20 November 2023 22:00 , Matt Mathers
A volcano close to erupting in Iceland could explode like a “can of fizzy drink,” an expert has said.
Iceland’s Met Office has said magmatic gas has been detected at a borehole in Svartsengi, signalling an imminent eruption of the Fagradalsfjall volcano over the coming days, with the town of Grindavik most at risk.
The small fishing town has already been evacuated following thousands of mini earthquakes across the Reykjanes peninsula, southwest Iceland, over the past week.
Iceland volcano could erupt like a ‘can of fizzy drink’
Iceland residents fleeing imminent volcanic eruption told they face months away from home
Monday 20 November 2023 20:28 , Athena Stavrou
Experts have revealed the likely eruption site of a volcano in Iceland, as authorities warn evacuees they may not return home for months.
Iceland has seen more than 1,700 earthquakes in the last 24 hours, according to the country’s Met Office, with most of the activity north of Hagafell.
The forecaster said magmatic gas has been detected at a borehole in Svartsengi, signalling an imminent eruption of the Fagradalsfjall volcano over the coming days.
Iceland officials reveal where volcano will likely erupt
When will the Iceland volcano erupt and what happens when it does?
Monday 20 November 2023 18:14 , Alexander Butler
As an imminent eruption looms thousands of Iceland residents await their fate as their town could be wiped out within days, Lydia Patrick reports.
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?
Grindavik couple fear losing their home after evacuating: ‘It’s a pretty grim situation’
Monday 20 November 2023 17:01 , Andy Gregory
A man who evacuated from a town in Iceland after earthquakes put the region on alert for a volcanic eruption said he fears he might never see his home again.
Caitlin McLean, from Scotland, was visiting her boyfriend, Gisli Gunnarsson, in Grindavik when they were forced to flee his home at midnight on Friday, packing only a few essential items, to stay with Mr Gunnarsson’s mother in Reykjavik.
Police evacuated Grindavik after seismic activity in the area moved south towards the town, with a corridor of magma, or semi-molten rock, now thought to be extending under the community.
You can read the full report by Sarah Ping here:
Grindavik couple fear losing home after evacuating: ‘It’s a pretty grim situation’
