A volcano in southwestern Iceland erupted on January 14, placing the town of Grindavik at risk.
According to British news agency Reuters, local media reported that the eruption began in the northern part of the fishing town of Grindavik.
Image of the lava flow threatening the fishing town of Grindavik in Iceland on January 14, 2024. (Image taken from a clip by Reuters).
To assess the situation and determine the exact location, the Icelandic Civil Protection Agency dispatched a Coast Guard helicopter for the mission.
Later that same day, the agency raised the alert level to “emergency”, the highest of three levels, indicating that an event had begun that could harm people, communities, property, or the environment.
According to the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO), lava is flowing towards Grindavik, and the outer boundary of the lava field is currently about 450 meters from the northernmost houses in Grindavik.
Fortunately, the day before, on January 13, residents of Grindavik, who had just returned after an eruption in December 2023, were ordered to evacuate with predictions that the fifth volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes Peninsula of Iceland since 2021 was imminent.
According to The Guardian, Iceland is located at the intersection of the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates, two of the largest tectonic plates on the Earth’s surface. These plates are moving in opposite directions, making Iceland a hotspot for seismic activity and volcanic eruptions.
