Iceland Volcano Erupts After Weeks Of Earthquakes (In Photos)
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Topline
A volcano erupted in southwest Iceland on Monday, the Icelandic Meteorological Office said, after weeks of earthquake swarms led to the evacuation of a nearby fishing town and closure of the country’s world-renowned Blue Lagoon.
A volcanic eruption began on Monday night in Iceland, south of the capital Reykjavik, following an … [+]
Key Facts
The eruption occurred at 10:17 p.m. local time about two and a half miles northeast of Grindavik, a town of around 3,600 people who were evacuated from their homes last month after officials concluded a magma tunnel extended underneath Grindavik.
The eruption, which Iceland’s meteorological office had been expecting since mid-November, is endangering a geothermal power plant just miles away, University of Iceland volcanologist Thorvaldur Thordarson told the New York Times.
The fissure has grown to about two and a half miles and could extend in the direction of Grindavík, according to RUV, Iceland’s national public service broadcaster.
Multiple livestreams are broadcasting the eruption in real time, showing what appears to be a long stretch of volcanic activity.
Houses in the village of Hafnarfjordur is seen as smoke billows in the distance.
The eruption began late Monday night.
People watch as the night sky is illuminated by the eruption of a volcano on the Reykjanes … [+]
Big Number
38 days. That’s how long officials have been monitoring the earthquake swarms that led to Monday’s eruption.
Key Background
Officials became aware of a potential eruption last month, when a string of earthquake swarms hit Iceland’s southwest region. At some points, the country recorded more than 1,000 earthquakes within 24-hour periods. Víðir Reynisson, the head of Iceland’s Civil Protection and Emergency Management, said in a press conference last month that officials were considering a defense wall designed to protect Grindavik from an eruption’s lava flow. Grindavik’s thousands of residents, more than 1,000 of whom needed housing following the evacuation, may not be able to return home for months depending on the fallout of the eruption. Iceland is no stranger to active volcanoes: The island nation lies between two tectonic plates in Earth’s crust that are slowly moving away from each other, causing volcanic eruptions as magma rises toward the surface. In 2010, scores of flights were canceled across Europe after an Icelandic volcano spewed a massive plume of ash into the atmosphere.
Further Reading
Iceland’s Earthquake Swarm: What We Know About The Thousands Of Tectonic Quakes (Forbes)
Iceland Records 1,700 More Earthquakes As Likelihood Of Volcanic Eruption Remains High (Forbes)
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