Friday, August 23, 2024 A volcano near Grindavik in southwestern Iceland erupted for the sixth time since December, causing localized disruptions. The Icelandic Meteorological Office reported that the eruption began on Thursday evening at 9:26 pm (21:26 GMT) on the Reykjanes Peninsula. Despite the dramatic display of red lava spewing from a new 3.
9 km (2.4 miles) fissure, authorities have confirmed that the eruption does not pose an immediate threat to life and flights to and from Reykjavik’s Keflavik Airport remain unaffected. Localized Impact and Evacuations Iceland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs announced that the eruption’s impact is confined to a small area near the fissure, which has led to the evacuation of residents in the nearby fishing village of Grindavik.
The village had already been largely evacuated following a previous eruption in December 2023, with only a few residents opting to stay overnight between eruptions. As of Thursday night, those who had returned were once again evacuated due to concerns over toxic gas plumes being blown towards the town by strong winds. Regional police reported that the evacuation process was smooth, with 22 or 23 houses currently occupied at the time of the eruption.
The Blue Lagoon geothermal spa, a major tourist attraction near Grindavik, was also evacuated, with videos circulating on social media showing sirens sounding as guests were escorted to safety. Impact on Air Travel and Tourism Isavia, Iceland’s national airpor.