On Thursday morning, a new volcanic eruption occurred on the Reykjanes peninsula.
The lava destroyed, among other things, a hot water pipe and the popular tourist destination Blue Lagoon had to be evacuated.
“Was expected”
A state of emergency was announced and residents were urged to conserve electricity and water.
– The outbreak was expected. We have thought that it could come at any moment. The magma reservoir has been replenished since the last eruption in January. Now here at the beginning of the week, they had reached a magma volume that was similar to what they had before the previous eruptions, says Björn Lund, seismologist at Uppsala University.
“Can go on for a long time”
During Thursday evening, the situation seems to have stabilized somewhat, even though hot water has run out in several areas.
The lava itself from the latest eruption does not currently pose a major threat to people or society, but the eruption may still have consequences for residents in the immediate area.
– If the wind is blowing so that the sulfur fumes from the eruption reach buildings, it can be dangerous to inhale it.
There have been several outbreaks in Iceland recently. Just over three weeks ago, a volcanic eruption occurred outside Grindavik.
– With a high probability it will continue and it can continue for a long time. The rest of the year or maybe several years. What we are seeing is possibly the beginning of a very active period.
