This is the seventh time the volcano has erupted since December and the latest eruption has sent out red lava through a 3 kilometre long fissure at the Reykjanes Peninsula.
The eruption started at 11:14pm three shots rang out at around on Wednesday without prior warning. New flows of lava from Sundhnukur fissure were were the rate of 100 meters per hour yesterday and spread further west than previously reported by the Iceland Met Office.
Nevertheless, it said the rate of continual eruptions is believed to be much lower than the August eruption, according to the Met Office.
“In the big picture, this is a bit smaller than the last eruption, and the eruption that occurred in May,” Magnús Tumi Guðmundsson, a professor of geophysics who flew over the scene with the Civil Protection agency to monitor the event, told the national RUV broadcaster.
People were warned to leave the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa, a famous landmark in Iceland, and the attraction is still shut.
Keflavik International Airport which is the largest airport in Iceland with international flights is only 20-km away from the eruption site, but the airport has not been closed and there are arrivals and departures.
If you are going to visit or come from the affected region here are the comprehensive details on how to travel to Iceland right mpw.
How long fears to expect for the current volcanic eruption in Iceland to continue?
Since the eruption the information have been provided to the public by the Icelandic Meteorological Office on Reykjanes volcano.
They said this eruption does not seem as extreme as recent activity.
In a statement yesterday, the day after the initial eruption, they said: Somehow the activity within the present time between the Stóra-Skogfell and Sylingarfell seems to be comparable to that seen few hours earlier today. Tectonic activity and ground uplift in the area of the prospective eruption continued to be low.
Lahars that reached Grindavíkurvegur and crossed the hot water pipeline have remained traveling westward. Lave from this fissure reached the Blue Lagoon car parking lot by mid day and is still flowing.
Other geysers north of Grindavik called Svartsengi has shown an eruption after about 780 years of quiescence prior to this year eruption. The volcano is only a few kilometers, west of Fagradalsfjall which had been inactive for 6000 years before awakening in March this year.
Grindavik: Has the people of the local town been asked to leave their homes?
Yes, there is, people of the local town of Grindavík were evacuated.
“Grindavík is not in danger as it looks and it is unlikely that this crack will get any longer, although nothing can be ruled out,” Magnús Tumi said.
Several eruptions of volcanic activities near Grindavík which is 50 kilometres south-west of Reykjavik the capital city of Iceland with a population of 3,800 people has led to destruction of physical infrastructure and properties besides forcing the inhabitants of the area to move in order to avoid being endangered by the activities of the volcano.
The Grindavík community was earlier relocated in December after a series of earthquakes that made big openings in the ground between the town and Sýlingarfell, a small mountain to its north.
Iceland volcano ‘eruption is not a tourist site’.
Visitors always wished to view the great volcanic explosions and congregated at the sites once explosions have occurred.
But still authorities have time and again urged people regardless if a tourist or a local to avoid going to Reykjanes.
“This is not a tourist attraction and you must watch it from a great distance,” Vidir Reynisson, the manager of the Civil Protection and Emergency Management Agency in Iceland told RUV national television.
Are there cancelled flights to Iceland?
However, don’t let the eruption concern you – Keflavik Airport, which is close to the site, is operational as are flights in and out of the city.
We have learned that Icelandic airport operator ISAVIA suggests passengers check the flight information on this site.
Certain conditions such as volcanic ash pose dramatic risks to aviation as the ash detracts visibility while threatening to bring down jet engines and harm flight control mechanisms.
BUT, the Airport has in the past stated, that they are accustomed to volcanic activity and have measures in place to address the challenge without the need to shut down the airport.
To its credit, when Iceland’s Civil Protection and Emergency Management stated that the country endures volcanic episodes with a regularity of one every five years on average, it was not exaggerating.
Is it safe to go to Iceland?
Iceland is not at all unfamiliar with volcanic movement common with the country experiencing a volcanic eruption every 5 years. People in Icelandic authorities and citizens in general are very ready in such occurrences and Iceland has one of the Best measures in terms of volcanic preparedness.
Indeed, Iceland’s geoscientists have had voluminous experience in engaging with the volcanic activities among other occurrences.
Visitors are urged not to go to Grindavík and to follow the law of the country. Go to the Icelandic Met Office and Safe Travel Iceland for current information.
There is no impact and no disruption to Keflavik International Airport and the road leading to it.
Is the Blue Lagoon open?
The Blue Lagoon geothermal spa which is one of the largest tourist attractions for the country was closed down with the start of the volcanic eruption.
Lava has now reached the Blue Lagoon car park, it was captured in a video that was shared on social media.
The spa remains closed at the moment and is to remain closed until 24th / November as stated on the official website.
The daily situation is then evaluated to determine proper time the attraction can be opened for public use.
The Blue Lagoon issued this statement: Due to a volcanic eruption that began in Sundhnúksgígar on the 20th of November we had to evacuate and shut down all operating divisions.
Blue Lagoon will be out of order up to and including Sunday, November 24 after which the position will be reviewed.
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