Iceland: Experts Fear New Fissures From Latest Volcanic Eruption Could 'Tear Apart' Grindavik

Iceland's ongoing volcanic eruption poses risks of new fissures in Grindavik, threatening residents and impacting tourism. The eruption near the Blue Lagoon has disrupted flights and led to cancellations.

Prime Minister of Iceland, Katrin Jakobsdottir, in a statement, expressed hope in the recently built defenses, while President Gudni Johannesson stressed the importance of safeguarding the lives of residents.

The ongoing volcanic eruption in Iceland raises concerns as experts warn of the potential for new fissures to open up, posing a threat to the nearby town of Grindavik. According to a report, these possible new fissures could "tear apart" the small Icelandic town.

The Reykjanes eruption, which began on Monday night, increases the risk of unpredictable volcanic fissures within the fishing town. Recent seismic activity has already caused damage to homes, with residents sharing videos of houses being torn apart.

Aside from displacing the town's 4,000 residents, the eruptions that are close to the Blue Lagoon have also significantly affected the tourism industry, a vital part of Iceland's economy, as flights are delayed and travelers cancel holiday reservations.

Expressing uncertainty about the impact on the industry in the coming months, Icelandic tourist board official Jóhannes Þór Skúlason shared, per Daily Mail: "The future is still uncertain, we have to see how this eruption plays out. If the upheavals continue for a long time, the impact on the tourism industry can be great into next year."

Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir of Iceland stated that the recently built defenses are anticipated to have a positive impact on mitigating the effects of the ongoing volcanic eruption. She expressed solidarity with the local community and conveyed hope for the best outcome amid this "significant event."

President Gudni Johannesson emphasized the top priority of safeguarding lives while affirming a commitment to making every possible effort to protect structures in the affected area.

The recent large Reykjanes eruption follows a series of "seismic swarms" around the town of Grindavik since late October, with the Fagradalsfjall volcano threatening for weeks.

In an interview with Icelandic news outlet DV, Geophysicist Benedikt Ófeigsson underscored the threat to Grindavik, stating that a vast magma tunnel beneath the town poses the risk of sudden, unanticipated fissure openings, similar to the recent Fagradalsfjall eruption.

He warned: "A magma tunnel was also formed [underground] from which the eruption emerged, and it extends considerably further south and north than the fissures themselves, and we can fully expect that they will start erupting without warning, as actually happened in Fagradalsfjall."

Scheduled for Wednesday morning, experts are expected to convene to evaluate the ongoing volcanic situation in Iceland, prompted by recent reports indicating a weakening of the eruption.

Chatting with Live Science, David Pyle, a professor of Earth sciences at Oxford University, likened the Reykjanes volcano's intense lava output to "be in the region of a few hundred cubic meters of lava per second — enough to fill an Olympic swimming pool in about 20 seconds."

However, he added that the diminishing seismic activity around the eruption suggests potential stabilization. Pyle further emphasized that "the length of the fissure may be an indication of how much magma had been able to accumulate in the crust over the past few weeks."

According to the Icelandic Met Office's recent statement, "The lava flow is estimated to be about one-quarter of what it was at the beginning of the eruption on 18 December, and a third of the original fissure is active."

While authorities assure the eruption doesn't pose a threat to life, they caution against nighttime visits due to increased danger.

Potential hazards include volcanic fumes, impacting breathing, and pollution levels in the Reykjanes peninsula have risen, prompting expert concerns. Authorities advise people to avoid the area as smoke and ash continue to be emitted.

Observers globally have been captivated by breathtaking images emerging from Iceland, featuring drone footage unveiling steaming lava flows cascading over snow-capped mountains, revealing the vastness of the 2.5-mile (4km) chasm.