A volcano in southwestern Iceland erupted on Wednesday for the fifth time since December, cracking the Sundhnjukar mountain ridge open with spectacular pressure and sending lava spewing 150 toes into the air.
The meteorological workplace stated it obtained indications of a doable eruption about two hours earlier than it occurred at 1 p.m. native time in Grindavik, prompting the civil protection company to instantly urge friends on the Blue Lagoon — the geothermal spa that’s certainly one of Iceland’s hottest vacationer locations — to evacuate.
“Evacuate, Evacuate!” learn a textual content message despatched to the almost 800 friends staying on the Blue Lagoon and surrounding resorts. Civil protection sirens put in in February rang out as guests scrambled to go away.
Within minutes of the eruption, drivers touring the freeway to Keflavik Airport posted footage of the almost two-mile-long fissure at Sundhnjukar. A big column of smoke was seen from Reykjavik, the capital.
Helga Arnadottir, a spokeswoman, stated that this was the fifth evacuation order because the volcano first roared again to life final yr. The evacuation went as “easily as those earlier than,” Ms. Arnadottir added. Resort friends took about half an hour to evacuate, she stated.
One other 300 folks needed to transfer from Grindavik, a fishing city that has largely been deserted since January after lava and earthquakes from earlier eruptions destroyed elements of it. The federal government has provided to purchase all residential properties in Grindavik to permit residents to resettle elsewhere. Almost all property house owners within the space have opted to promote.
Iceland’s tourism board urged folks to not attempt to get near the eruption and was fast to notice that the nation remained a protected vacation spot. The island nation’s financial system depends closely on tourism; airways and journey companies have reported a drop in gross sales because the eruptions started in December. Keflavik Airport reported no disruptions to flights on Wednesday.
Whereas the eruption occurred with little discover, scientists had predicted that one other volcanic occasion would occur after the final eruption three weeks in the past.
Magnus Gudmundsson, who was among the many first volcanologists to fly over the location, advised The New York Occasions that the fissure at Sundhnjukar appeared to have grown. By Wednesday night, lava had reached the boundaries surrounding Grindavik that had been put in place to redirect the movement away from the city.
“We watched the fissure widen and a heavy stream of lava operating south” towards Grindavik, Mr. Gudmundsson stated. Elements of the primary highway had been destroyed. The volcano has already produced 2.1 sq. miles of lava, Mr. Gudmundsson added, “ quantity.”
