Magma accumulation
Increased risk of eruption in Icelandic volcanic region
Magma flows from a fissure in the earth during a past volcanic eruption near Grindavík. photo
© Icelandic Civil Protection Dept/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
There have been spectacular eruptions near the capital Reykjavik in recent years. Now the responsible weather authority is warning: It could soon be that time again.
The North Atlantic island of Iceland could soon experience its next volcanic eruption. The national one Weather agency Vedurstofa warns that the likelihood of another eruption on the Reykjanes Peninsula has increased and could happen as early as the next two weeks or possibly as early as days.
It was only in mid-January that there was a violent eruption on the peninsula southwest of Reykjavik, in which glowing red lava flowed from elongated cracks in the earth. For the first time in almost half a century, houses in Iceland were destroyed by the lava masses.
Continued danger for the evacuated coastal town of Grindavík
According to the weather agency, computational models based on GPS data indicate that an estimated 6.5 million cubic meters of magma has accumulated beneath the Svartsengi area. According to this estimate, the magma will soon reach the same volume as during last month’s eruption, the authority said.
The time frame for the next eruption could therefore be within two weeks or possibly days. The risk assessment for the evacuated coastal town of Grindavík remains unchanged: the town remains at considerable risk.