Huge cracks appear on roads in Icelandic town at risk of volcanic eruption
The evacuation zone in Iceland is “still dangerous”, a civil protection official has told The Independent, with current conditions leaving just a few minutes’ warning of a feared volcano eruption.
A fortnight since Grindavik was evacuated, after magma-induced seismic activity tore vast chasms through the streets of the town, officials are expected to lower the threat level in the area on Thursday – enabling residents to return for longer periods to collect their valuables.
Speaking to The Independent as international media were allowed back into the town for the first time, one civil defence official said: “It is still dangerous here … I have never seen anything like it before. Usually we will have a few minutes warning to get out but with the weather like it is today we have even less.”
In addition to fears of weather hampering monitoring systems, civil protection chief Vídir Reynisson told Fox News: “The challenge that we have is that we will not see any strong evidence that the magma is coming up, we will see some small earthquakes and we can see how they will probably form in one place rather than another.”
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Iceland volcano: Seismologist spots earthquake during equipment explanation
Iceland volcano: Seismologist spots earthquake during equipment explanation
Alexander Butler23 November 2023 16:20
Chances of eruption in urban area now low, say experts
The likelihood of a sudden eruption in the area of Grindavík, southwest Iceland, is decreasing daily, according to the Icelandic Met Office.
The experts warned an eruption elsewhere, between Hagafell and Sýlingarfell, was possible.
But they added: “However, as crustal relaxation continues to occur and seismicity decreases, along with a decrease in magma inflow to the intrusion, the likelihood of an imminent volcanic eruption diminishes with time.
“Based on the latest data, and considering the evolution of activity since 10 November, the likelihood of a sudden eruption within the Grindavík urban area is decreasing daily, and it is presently assessed as low.
“It can be assumed that newly emplaced magma beneath Grindavík has solidified partially, thereby reducing the likelihood that the magma will reach the surface within the city limits. However, we emphasise that the possibility of a volcanic eruption at some point along the length of the intrusion, particularly between Hagafell and Sýlingarfell, remains plausible.”
Jane Dalton23 November 2023 15:09
Seismic activity appears to decrease near magma dyke
The number of earthquakes recorded near the magma dyke has decreased in recent days, monitoring suggests.
According to the Icelandic Met Office, approximately 300 earthquakes were detected there on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, around 100 earthquakes had been recorded as of 6pm in the same region, while the intensity of earthquakes above magnitude 2.0 has also decreased.
Efforts are being made to assess how weather conditions and ocean swell influenced the Met Office’s monitoring systems during the period of severe weather over that period, the meteorological agency said.
Andy Gregory23 November 2023 13:37
Iceland peninsula could be entering 300-year period of volcanic activity, seismologist says
My colleague Barney Davis has been speaking to Iceland’s top seismologist, Professor Páll Einarsson, who talked The Independent through his various sensors as they picked up another earthquake in Grindavik.
Prof Einarsson was brought out of retirement to study the huge volume of earthquakes. He is measuring tremors using the movement of fibre optic cables laid across the faultline initially to provide broadband to Grindavik.
He said he would be happy to move back to Grindavik but its still far too unstable to move his family.
“The last eruption was 1214 since then none until 2021 which is 800 years of slumber,” said the seismologist.
“We may now be may be at the beginning of an active period for the next two or three centuries.”
Andy Gregory23 November 2023 12:23
New parents refuse to return to Icleand fishing town rocked by earthquake: ‘We need a stable home’
A Grindavik couple have refused to return to their home deeming it not safe enough to raise their new baby after the 5.2 magnitude earthquake rocked the Icelandic fishing town.
Guðjón and his wife Ayça Erişkin, who had their first child on Wednesday, said they had decided not to go back to Grindavik despite setting up their family home there.
Guðjón, a rock musician born and raised in the harbour town told The Independent: “While I fully understand people that intend to go back whenever possible and I do feel a strong urge to do so myself, we want to find a stable home for us and our newborn child.
“It’s clear that even though things would settle for now and people could go back, the same situation can arise essentially any time.”
My colleague Barney Davis reports from Iceland:
Andy Gregory23 November 2023 11:11
Christmas decorations flicker and children’s bikes left to rust in Grindavik
My colleague Barney Davis was among the first international journalists to enter the evacuated town of Grindavik yesterday. He reports:
The once bustling harbour town has been left empty since 10 November – the day the ground opened up and caused all the children and the elderly to flee, not knowing what was around the corner or if they would even see home again.
Early Christmas decorations are left still switched on and children’s bikes have been left to rust in the front yard of a home with an enormous crack down the side – simply because it stood in the way of the shuddering faultline stretching from the mountains through the little town and into the Atlantic.
One street has its houses now kneeling forwards and a huge fissure splits Grindavik’s only old people’s home.
The town’s fish and chip shop still has its garish advertising hoarding switched on offering an eerie respite from the horrific hailstorms that descend every three minutes upon this desperate Englishman.
Evacuating 3,700 residents was no mean feat. They were told to turn off the electricity in their homes and close all windows. You can see the signs flapping in the high winds, declaring the home was successfully emptied.
Andy Gregory23 November 2023 10:43
Evacuation zone ‘still dangerous’ as eruption could occur with only minutes’ notice
The evacuation zone at Grindavik is “still dangerous”, with conditions meaning residents would have just a few minutes’ warning to escape prior to an eruption. a civil defence official has told The Independent.
“I have never seen anything like it before. Usually we will have a few minutes warning to get out but with the weather like it is today we have even less.” A weather warning is in place for strong gale-force winds in eastern Iceland.
It came as authorities said rescue workers could get as little as “30 minutes’ notice” before the anticipated volcanic eruption.
“The challenge that we have is that we will not see any strong evidence that the magma is coming up, we will see some small earthquakes and we can see how they will probably form in one place rather than another,” Vídir Reynisson, the head of the civil protection and emergency management agency, told Fox News.
Andy Gregory23 November 2023 09:23
Grindavik residents allowed to return for full days to collect items
Residents in the evacuated town of Grindavik will be allowed to return to their homes for much longer than previously to rescue their valuables.
Authorities are expected to lower the threat level in the area at 11am this morning, from which point it is intended that residents will be permitted to be in Grindavik between the hours of 9am and 4pm every day.
Residents can now drive themselves to the town rather than be escorted by emergency officials, and advised to walk to and from their homes in a way that allows them to evacuate at short notice.
Andy Gregory23 November 2023 09:02
Emergency risk set to be revised. police say
The threat level in the area of Grindavik is set to be revised at 11am – from one of “emergency” to “danger”, police said on Wednesday evening.
The police commissioner and local authorities made the decision following a new assessment by the Icelandic Meteorological Office, which states that the probability of a sudden eruption within the town limits of Grindavík has been decreasing every day and is now considered small.
Land is still rising in Svarteng and the magma there could flow again under the magma tunnel under Grindavík, but the Norwegian Meteorological Agency said that signs of this would be detectable on seismic and GPS sensors.
There is still a possibility of a volcanic eruption in the area above the magma tunnel, most likely between Hagafell and Sýlingarfell, and civil defence teams will continue to keep the area well patrolled.
Andy Gregory23 November 2023 08:16
In case you missed it: The Independent at site of road blockade to Grindavik
Only pre-approved residents were allowed access to Grindavik on Wednesday as 78 who registered request to return to collect belongings were allowed through from 9am.
The Independent’s Barney Davis reported from the scene of an emergency blockade staffed by search and rescue workers.
Only an 18-wheeler lorry was allowed through.
Iceland volcano: Town at site of eruption closed by search and rescue roadblock
Maira Butt23 November 2023 00:03