The president of Iceland stated that the nation is facing powerful natural forces as molten lava from a volcano in the southwest of the island has destroyed multiple homes in the town of Grindavik, which was previously evacuated.

On Monday, researchers stated that the volcanic activity seemed to be subsiding, but it was premature to announce the end of the threat. The Meteorological Office of Iceland stated that it is challenging to predict the duration of this eruption.

In a broadcast on Sunday evening, President Gudni Th. Johannesson stated that a challenging time of disruption has commenced on the Reykjanes Peninsula, as a previously inactive volcanic system has now become active.

A volcano located on the peninsula experienced its second eruption in less than a month on Sunday. The orange lava erupted through two cracks near the fishing village of Grindavik. As a precaution, authorities had instructed residents to evacuate earlier due to a series of small earthquakes, signaling an imminent eruption.

The popular Blue Lagoon geothermal spa in Iceland, a major tourist destination, has closed and will not reopen until at least Tuesday.

The town of Grindavik, located 50 kilometers (30 miles) southwest of Reykjavik, with a population of 3,800, was previously forced to evacuate in November due to the awakening of the Svartsengi volcanic system. This event, which occurred after nearly 800 years, caused a series of earthquakes and created significant fissures in the ground between the town and the nearby Sýlingarfell mountain.

On December 18, the volcano finally erupted, causing lava to flow away from Grindavik. By December 22, residents were given permission to go back to their houses.

Emergency responders have constructed protective barriers that have successfully impeded a significant portion of the lava from the recent volcanic activity from reaching the town.

On Monday, the Icelandic Met Office reported a decrease in lava flow from the fissures that had erupted the previous day. The flow from the southern fissure, which appeared near the town’s border at noon, appears to have stopped. Most of the remaining lava is now moving in a southwest direction along protective barriers, and its path appears to have become steady.

There have been no fatalities thus far from the eruptions, however, a worker is unaccounted for after allegedly slipping into a crevice caused by the volcano.

The president stated that although we are uncertain about the progression of this eruption, we must still take actions within our control. We will fulfill our duties and remain united.

He expressed his optimism for the best possible result despite the overwhelming power of nature.

Iceland, located above a volcanic hotspot in the North Atlantic, experiences an eruption approximately every four to five years. The most disruptive event in recent history was the 2010 eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano, which released ash into the atmosphere and caused significant disruptions to trans-Atlantic flights for several months.

According to Gudjon Helgason, spokesperson for airport operator Isavia, the most recent volcanic eruption is not predicted to emit significant quantities of ash into the atmosphere. As a result, operations at Keflavík Airport are proceeding as usual.

Source: wral.com