The eruption in 1973 took no lives, but the entire island’s population was evacuated. It lasted for over five months.
Over 400 houses were completely crushed and buried under lava. Close to 80 other houses were reduced to ashes.
5,000 people on the island became refugees in their own country.
Now it is the inhabitants of Grindavik who fear volcanic eruptions. Magma tunnels have been discovered under the city, and all the inhabitants have been evacuated.
The Icelandic geophysicist Ármann Höskuldsson says the broadcaster RÚV that a possible eruption near Grindavik could be worse than the one on Vestmannaeyjar fifty years ago.
One of the most serious scenarios is an outbreak in the city itself.
– It is much worse than Vestmannaeyjar, says Ármann.
– Some of the worst scenarios can come true.
NRK sent reporter Geir Helljesen to cover the volcanic eruption in 1973:
Watch NRK’s Geir Helljesen stand in the middle of the volcanic eruption in Iceland in 1973.
– The risk of an outbreak is “significant”
There have been almost 900 earthquakes in the area around Grindavík between midnight and 06:00 this morning. Nevertheless, it has been a quieter night in Iceland than it was the night of Saturday.
The largest earthquake should have been measured at 2.8.
The danger of a volcanic eruption is nevertheless great.
Benedikt Halldórsson is director of earthquakes at the Icelandic Meteorological Office.
According to the director, the size of the magma tunnel and the magma flow is far greater than in previous measurements. According to the director, measurements show that the magma tunnel is 15 kilometers long.
He says to the Icelandic newspaper Morgunbladid that the probability of a volcanic eruption in the near future must be considered significant.
Picture from the volcanic eruption in 1973.
Photo: Sigurjón Einarsson
– Very serious
It is nothing new that earthquakes or volcanic eruptions are recorded in Iceland or in the Grindavik area.
There have been three major eruptions in the area since 2021. But this could be far more serious.
This is what the Norwegian geologist Børge Johannes Wigum says to NRK.
He calls the previous volcanic eruptions “typical tourist eruptions”, since they were volcanic eruptions without any infrastructure nearby.
There is extensive damage after the earthquakes in Grindavik.
Photo: RUV
But when the magma now moves under Grindavik, it is very serious for the inhabitants.
– In the worst case scenario, it is very dramatic. But it can also stop. That happens in nature. The magma solidifies, and then nothing more happens, he points out.
In 2010, European aviation came to a standstill when the Eyjafjallajökull volcano stopped air traffic in large parts of Europe.
According to the geologist, it is unlikely that will happen this time.
– This is another type of magma that is more fluid. But if it continues under the sea and we have an eruption below the sea surface, there could be a lot of explosive activity and ash. But it will not be as big as in 2010.
2023-11-12 08:06:25
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