In southwest Iceland, people wait anxiously to see if a volcano under the Reykjanes Peninsula will erupt. Civil protection authorities predict it could be months before residents evacuated from the danger zone can return home, even if no eruption occurs.
The fishing town of Grindavik was evacuated a week ago due to rumbling magma and tremors, causing the ground to rise by 1 meter in some areas. The Icelandic Meteorological Office warns of a “significant likelihood” of an eruption along the 15-kilometer magma tunnel, with the “prime location” near the Hagafell mountain north of Grindavik.
Grindavik, a town of 3,400, is located southwest of Reykjavik, near Keflavik Airport and the popular Blue Lagoon geothermal resort. The Blue Lagoon has been closed due to the volcano danger, impacting tourism in the area.
Residents of Grindavik are allowed brief visits to retrieve belongings and pets. The Reykjanes Peninsula volcanic system has erupted three times since 2021, following 800 years of dormancy. Previous eruptions were in remote areas and did not cause damage.
Iceland, situated above a volcanic hot spot in the North Atlantic, experiences eruptions every four to five years. The most disruptive recent eruption was in 2010 when the Eyjafjallajokull volcano grounded flights across Europe due to ash clouds. Scientists anticipate a new eruption would produce lava, not an ash cloud.
