Iceland's Grindavik Residents Risk Permanently Losing Their Home Due To Lava Spills

The town of Grindavik in Icelandfaces devastation as recent volcanic eruptions stemming from the Svartsengi system destroyed three homes, rendering the once-thriving fishing village desolate.

Evacuation orders were issued on November 10, following seismic activity and magma suspicions. Despite initial hopes of returning home, subsequent eruptions unfolded, with an eyewitness describing it as "watching the gates of h--- opening."

According to BBC News reporter, Hermann Gunnarsson, Grindavik, a town on Iceland's Reykjanes peninsula, continues to face the relentless forces of nature as recent volcanic activity from the Svartsengi system destroyed three homes, leaving the once-thriving fishing village desolate.

In the last three years, the Reykjanes peninsula, comparable in size to the West Midlands in the UK, has faced five volcanic eruptions. On November 10, there were evacuation orders for Grindavik, which housed almost 4,000 residents due to seismic activity and magma suspicions.

However, despite hopes of returning home, devastating eruptions, including one in mid-December near Sundhnuks crater series, unfolded.

Gunnarsson who witnessed the terrifying volcanic eruption, described the seismic activity as “watching the gates of h--- opening.”

He said: “I witnessed the eruption myself, then three hours after it had begun, I drove home. Along the road from the capital, Reykjavik, to Keflavik airport, which leads to my town, Reykjanesbaer, I caught sight of [a] fissure almost 4km in length, spewing molten lava. It felt as though I was watching the gates of h--- opening.”

At the time, Grindavik initially avoided direct impact, however, subsequent eruptions and new fissures brought challenges and tragedies closer to the town.

Monitoring the eruption from the Icelandic civil protection's central command in Reykjanesbaer, Gunnarsson shared that they observed the live feed of the Sundhnuks crater series.

In preparation for the January eruption, a massive protective wall to prevent lava flows from impacting the town and a nearby geothermal power plant was constructed.

However, Gunnarson states that on January 14, smoke emerged from behind the protective walls, sparking concerns of another fissure opening, potentially leaving the town vulnerable.

The extensive protective walls obstructed onlookers from identifying the cause of the smoke, creating an unsettling sense that another fissure might emerge undetected behind them, exposing the town to potential danger.

Within minutes, residents were evacuated as lava engulfed Grindavik. A fissure had emerged perilously close to houses, and the consensus among first responders on the scene was that little could be done to salvage the homes.

As Icelanders tuned in to witness the surreal and heart-wrenching spectacle of lava-consuming homes, the short-lived eruption left Grindavik in disarray. Displaced across the country, residents face uncertainty about returning to their hometown, with no specified date from authorities.

A resident of the fallen town, Pall Valur Björnsson, now in Reykjavik, criticized the government's response, stating: "So far, all [their] actions have been characterized by haste and bewilderment, and information given to the residents of Grindavik has confused people rather than solving problems.”

He continued: "All the administration surrounding the efforts has been completely unacceptable, and it is clear the responders were in no way prepared for an event like this, which is absolutely incredible considering that these earthquakes and eruptions started three years ago."

The upheaval on Grindavik's residents since November 10 includes financial strain, as mortgages on uninhabitable houses persist. Despite unity in support, the lingering trauma and unknown safety of Grindavik's future cast shadows on residents' lives.

During a meeting with Grindavik residents in January, Bryndis Gunnlaugsdottir, a resident, shared her desire for the lava to have engulfed her home, and the room responded with resounding applause.

Elaborating on her sentiments, Gunnlaugsdottir told Gunnarsson."It's been 80 days since the evacuation took place. In those 80 days, the people of Grindavik have not had a home. Our community is hurting, and we have no idea what the future holds for us."

Acknowledging the numerous tragedies, she continued: "I said I wanted my house under lava because then there would be an end to the uncertainty. I'd be compensated and could build a new life and focus on the emotional pain that follows losing a community, at least for some time.”

"I feel many residents of Grindavik agree uncertainty is the worst enemy now,” she added, per BBC News.