On a late Friday evening in mid-November, the town of Grindavík in Iceland was evacuated.
The reason was that the authorities expected a volcanic eruption in the area after a period of very many earthquakes.
The approximately 3,700 inhabitants had a few hours to get away from the small town, which is located a few miles from the capital, Reykjavík.
In the days and weeks that followed, Icelanders held their breath while they waited for an outbreak. Several feared the eruption could destroy large parts of the city.
Then still continued. There was no volcanic eruption. Now there are also fewer – and smaller – earthquakes.
What actually happened with the outbreak, and what is happening now?
Why was there no outbreak?
The researchers do not know for sure.
When the danger was greatest, magma gathered in the area and made its way into a kind of tunnel under the ground. Parts of this tunnel lay under Grindavík.
In practice, a volcanic eruption could have occurred at any time along this tunnel.
At one point was The magma is probably only a few hundred meters below the surface.
New information indicates that the magma no longer flows into the tunnel. One theory is that it may have hardened.
– The chance of a volcanic eruption over the magma tunnel in this round of activity on the Reykjanes Peninsula has therefore decreased sharply, writes the Meteorological Institute in Iceland in an update on December 6.
What happens to the inhabitants?
After they were evacuated, the residents of Grindavík have had to go home for short periods to collect important belongings.
They are still not allowed to move home again, but are now allowed to stay in the home between 7am and 9pm. Businesses are also allowed to be in the city during the same time period.
When the residents were allowed to travel home to collect belongings, long queues formed.
Photo: Marko Djurica / Reuters
The governing authorities still believe that it is not safe to spend the night there, but they will make a new assessment in the new year, according to the Icelandic public broadcaster RÚV.
At an information meeting on Tuesday, the residents learned that there are careful assessments that must be made before they can move back home.
In any case, they will be met by a different city than the one they left. Because the many earthquakes have caused enormous damage to both houses and roads.
An insurance company estimates that damage of between NOK 450 and 600 million has probably been donebut that it could be as much as 750 million.
Several roads were completely destroyed after several earthquakes.
Photo: Joakim Reigstad / NRK
Could there be an outbreak later?
Yes, it is possible that there could be a volcanic eruption later. No one knows when – or how big it might be.
There are still earthquakes in the areabut they are fewer and weaker than earlier this winter.
On Tuesday, measurements showed that the earth still rises around Svartsengi, just north of Grindavík. It is a sign that magma is collecting there.
And as long as that happens, there is also a danger that the magma may begin to move in tunnels under the ground.
Then there is also a risk of volcanic eruptions in the area, according to the meteorological institute.
Magma is still gathering in the area around Svartsengi, close to the Blue Lagoon. The tourist attraction has been closed since 9 November, but will reopen on Sunday.
Photo: Marko Djurica / Reuters
If the magma starts to move, it is most likely that it will flow the same way as last time – i.e. under Grindavík, the institute writes in a update December 12.
The experts believe that the most likely place for a future eruption will be directly north of the city.
But they are also clear about one thing: It is difficult to predict if – or when – the magma will move again.
If it happens, it can also happen at short notice.
– The uncertainty about the timing is great and the magma could move either in the next few days or possibly in many months, the institute writes in an update on December 8.
Why are there so many earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in Iceland?
Since March 2021, there have been three volcanic eruptions on the Reykjanes Peninsula. There will probably be even more outbreaks in the coming years.
Several geologists believes that the area is in a “volcanic eruption period”, i.e. a period of increased activity. It can last several hundred years.
Newspaper The core write that in one such period there were 6–8 eruptions during 50–100 years.
In general, Iceland is one of the countries in the world with the most volcanoes and greatest risk of earthquakes.
The “bridge between the worlds” lies about two miles from Grindavík, and connects the North American and Eurasian continental plates.
Photo: Halldor Kolbeins / AFP
The island lies precisely where two continental plates are sliding away from each other. When these plates move, it leads to earthquakes.
Areas where such plates meet usually also have more volcanoes than other places.
2023-12-15 21:25:49
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