Iceland: Volcanic Eruption Causes Worries As Experts Contemplate Direction Of Lava Flow

Iceland's Reykjanes peninsula witnessed a volcanic eruption last night following months of speculations by experts and severe seismic activities.

According to reports, experts have warned that the eruption will result in huge lava flows which could cause harm to towns nearby.

The volcanic eruption comes a month after the town of Grindavik was evacuated due to the volcanic activity in the are.

Following weeks of seismic activity that forced the evacuation of a nearby village, a volcano in Iceland has erupted suddenly, sending large plumes of smoke into the sky and magnificent spurts of lava onto the landscape.

Per reports, A 2.5-mile (4-kilometer) crack of smoldering lava burst open at 22:17 local time following a series of small earthquakes. Despite the severity of the eruption, Scientists have noted that the small town of Grindavik could be safe from the volcanic eruption at the Reykjanes Peninsula.

As we previously reported, the Reykjanes Peninsula, southwest of Reykjavik, had been placed on high alert after witnessing multiple tremors earthquakes, and the steady expansion of a 2,000-year-old fissure.

A video shared on Facebook by Iceland’s Coast Guard showed one of its helicopters in the area on Monday night, hovering over a lengthy line of luminous lava spurting from the ground crack, was released on Facebook. In the spectacular clip, the air was filled with smoke, and the area was illuminated by bright orange and red lights.

According to CNN, the Icelandic government released a statement on Tuesday, noting that this eruption is the biggest to date and the fourth to occur in the region since 2021. It further stated that there was no risk to human life from the eruption, but it was blocked to all vehicles, and pedestrians were strongly advised not to approach the area.

The latest volcanic eruption comes just a day after Iceland reopened its popular Blue Lagoon geothermal spa due to reduced threats. But with the recent events, threats of mass destruction have reignited.

According to the Daily Mail, the biggest risk posed by the eruption at Reykjanes Peninsula is the lava flows which could travel toward the South or West near Grindavik or the Svartsengi Geothermal Power Plant.

Although the eruption has significantly reduced, the average flow is currently 250 cubic meters per second, according to Lovísa Mjöll Guðmundsdóttir, a natural hazards specialist at the Icelandic Met Office, who spoke with mbl.is.

In a chat with the Daily Mail, Professor David Rothery of the Open University, revealed that it is too early to ascertain the direction of the lava flow.

"This is what has been anticipated for several weeks near Grindavik, thanks to the use of multiple monitoring techniques. It appears to be a classic fissure eruption," he told the news outlet.

"The seat of eruption will probably localize to a single vent within a few hours or days, and the future course of the eruption (including where most of the lava spreads to) will depend on where that occurs," the professor added.

Another expert noted that the eruption's crater was "in the best place if there was to be an eruption there." Geophysicist Björn Oddson told an Icelandic news outlet that "the eruption is taking place north of the watershed [a point at which lava clearly flows one way or the other], so lava does not flow towards Grindavík."

On November 11, it was reported that residents of Grindavík were evacuated due to seismic activity which signaled a probable volcanic event. Since then, the region has experienced hundreds of earthquakes and numerous minor tremors, prompting authorities to explore ways to mitigate potential volcanic hazards.

Grindavík is located near the Svartsengi geothermal plant, which serves as the main provider of electricity and water to approximately 30,000 residents residing on the Reykjanes peninsula. It also houses a freshwater reservoir.

As reported by The Blast, In the event of an impending volcanic eruption that has been endangering the town of Grindavík, Icelandic authorities had considered a plan that would include spraying water over potential lava. With the latest eruption at the Reykjanes peninsula, and the potential of lava flow toward Grindavik, the option might come into play.