Iceland: Volcanic activity stopped for now – danger level low

DThe activity of the volcano in Iceland that erupted on Monday appears to have ended for the time being. Iceland's meteorological institute IMO said on Friday that the activity appeared to have stopped on Friday night or early Friday morning and that no activity was detectable on surveillance flights. However, it is possible that lava will continue to flow in covered channels. The outbreak cannot therefore be declared over.

Unlike in the two days since the eruption, lava flows were no longer visible on images from surveillance cameras on Friday. In view of the development, the Icelandic authorities lowered the warning level from “state of emergency” to “alert level”.

Residents can return to their homes

The eruption of the volcano on the Reykjanes peninsula, around 40 kilometers southwest of the Icelandic capital Reykjavik, began late on Monday evening. The volcano spewed orange-red glowing lava fountains into the night sky. Lava and clouds of smoke erupted for 24 hours.

There had been thousands of earthquakes since October in the region, about 50 kilometers from Reykjavik, which is why a volcanic eruption was expected. The authorities declared a state of emergency and evacuated the town of Grindavik on November 11th due to the accumulation of magma underground.

Since Thursday, Grindavik residents have been able to return to their homes during the day between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. However, overnight stays are still prohibited for safety reasons. Meanwhile, authorities built protective walls around the Svartsengi geothermal power plant, two kilometers from the site of the eruption, which supplies electricity and water to 30,000 residents of the Reykjanes peninsula. The construction of similar barriers around Grindavik is already being considered.

The volcanic eruption is the fourth in Iceland in two years. As of 2021, Reykjanes had not experienced an eruption for eight centuries. There were three eruptions in 2021, 2022 and early 2023 – all in remote and uninhabited areas.

With more than 30 active volcanic systems, Iceland is the largest and most active volcanic region in Europe. The island nation in the North Atlantic lies on the so-called Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which separates the Eurasian and North American plates.