Iceland volcano eruption eases

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A man with camera films an area with glowing lava near the southwestern Icelandic town of Grindavik after a volcanic eruption on January 15, 2024. Lava flowing from a volcano that erupted on January 14 near the Icelandic fishing port of Grindavik has engulfed at least three homes just hours after villagers were evacuated to safety, authorities said. It was the North Atlantic nation’s fifth volcanic eruption in under three years. The most recent occurred just weeks ago on December 18 in the same region, southwest of the capital Reykjavik. (Photo by Halldor KOLBEINS / AFP)
TOPSHOT – Billowing smoke and flowing lava are seen in this Icelandic Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management , January 14, 2024, handout image during an volcanic eruption on the outskirts of the evacuated town of Grindavik, western Iceland. Seismic activity had intensified overnight and residents of Grindavik were evacuated, Icelandic public broadcaster RUV reported. This is Iceland’s fifth volcanic eruption in two years, the previous one occurring on December 18, 2023 in the same region southwest of the capital Reykjavik. Iceland is home to 33 active volcano systems, the highest number in Europe. (Photo by Icelandic Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management / AFP)

 

REYKJAVIK, Jan 15, 2024 (AFP) – Volcanic activity in southwest Iceland appears to have eased, authorities said Monday, a day after lava from an eruption flowed into the fishing town of Grindavik, engulfing several homes.

A volcanic eruption began early Sunday near Grindavik, southwest of the capital Reykjavik, and two fissures opened up.

Iceland is home to 33 active volcano systems, the highest number in Europe.

“The night has been uneventful,” Hjordis Gudmundsdottir of Iceland’s Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management told broadcaster RUV, adding: “the good news is that there seems to be less flow.”

Magma from the second and smaller of two fissures stopped on Monday, Gudmunsdottir said.

Large flows of glowing orange lava spewing out from the second crack engulfed at least three houses.

It was Iceland’s fifth volcanic eruption in under three years. The most recent occurred just weeks ago on December 18 in the same region.

TOPSHOT – Lava explosions and billowing smoke are seen near residential buildings in the southwestern Icelandic town of Grindavik after a volcanic eruption on January 14, 2024. Seismic activity had intensified overnight and residents of Grindavik were evacuated, Icelandic public broadcaster RUV reported. This is Iceland’s fifth volcanic eruption in two years, the previous one occurring on December 18, 2023 in the same region southwest of the capital Reykjavik. Iceland is home to 33 active volcano systems, the highest number in Europe. (Photo by Halldor KOLBEINS / AFP)

 

Grindavik’s 4,000 residents had been evacuated in November as a precaution. Shortly after the December 18 eruption, they were allowed to return for brief periods.

They were authorised to regain their homes permanently on December 23 but only a few dozen chose to do so.

“I want to go back, I want to build up the town. It’s a beautiful town, there are great people there (and) it’s really good to raise children there,” Pall Thorbjornsson, a real estate agent in his fifties who has lived in Grindavik for 20 years, told AFP.

Erla Osk Petursdottir, 43, said on Monday she wanted “nothing more than to go back to Grindavik,” but “people are scared and I think once this event ends… we don’t know if there will be more eruptions or earthquakes”.