Volcanic activity near Grindavik easing after eruption - Met Office

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We've been speaking to Dr Matthew Roberts from Iceland's Met Office, which is responsible for monitoring the assessment of hazards.

While the latest volcanic activity near the south-western town of Grindavik appears to be easing, Roberts says there are concerns a new influx of magma could more easily make its way to the earth's surface now new pathways are open.

Of particular concern to him would be an eruption that lasts many months, during which a much larger amount of lava spills out - with potentially dangerous gases spreading, depending on the weather.

And while the immediate damage to Grindavik has been somewhat mitigated this time, the town's infrastructure has been weakened. Dr Roberts says a very thorough inspection will be needed to see how the land in and around Grindavik has changed.

It is known to have expanded sideways by around a metre on Sunday due to the force of the magma pushing its way through the earth.

While the volcanic activity is localised and not an immediate risk to the rest of Iceland, it is feared future lava flows could reach the coastlines and damage national infrastructure.

Icelandic Meteorological OfficeCopyright: Icelandic Meteorological Office

The impact of the lava flow in Grindavik can be seen in these new drone images from earlier today.

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Let's hear some more from the Icelandic Met Office (IMO).

Dr Matthew Roberts tells the BBC there has been a national effort in Iceland to try to mitigate the damage done by recent eruptions and resulting lava flows.

This includes the IMO improving its monitoring capabilities to ensure the emergency services are given as much time as possible to evacuate people.

"These system improvements have paid off," says Dr Roberts.

Efforts are also under way to build a levee around Grindavik in a bid to divert the lava flow to the west.

Workers were still using diggers to build the embankment on Sunday following the eruption, under the supervision of police, to ensure it was as strong as possible.

Roberts says the protective wall was a "tremendous mitigation".

He adds that there are also plans to use water pumps to cool the lava by hundreds of degrees and then reshape it.

ANTON BRINK/EPA-EFE/REX/ShutterstockCopyright: ANTON BRINK/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

Dr Matthew Roberts, head of the service and research division at the Icelandic Meteorological Office, tells the BBC that the situation near Grindavik "has very much eased".

The flow of magma to the town has almost stopped and while micro-earthquakes (which are not commonly felt by people) are still happening, their number and intensity are decreasing, he says.

Roberts reiterates the message that there is no danger to the rest of Iceland from the eruption and that the country is largely operating as normal, with no threat to or restrictions on air travel.

Lorraine Crawford/PA MediaCopyright: Lorraine Crawford/PA Media

A British couple holidaying in Iceland say it was both "alarming" and "exciting" to see the volcano erupt during their trip.

Lorraine Crawford, 67, and her 70-year-old husband John, from Essex, were on a trip with family to Reykjavik.

The group were in a taxi to Keflavik International Airport on Sunday when they saw the volcano eruption in the distance but thought it was a fire.

"It's alarming in a way - it's quite exciting to see something like that but then you realise that this could do quite a lot of damage," Lorraine, who runs a travel agency with her husband and their daughter, said.

"We thought it was just a fire in the distance but [the taxi driver] said it was the actual volcano erupting.

"Thankfully we weren't that close."

Sunna Jonina Siguroardottir, a Grindavik resident, said she does not expect to ever go home.

“We have been told that there are cracks all over the place,” she told radio station Ras 2, part of the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service (RUV).

“They are deep in the ground and the effects are not necessarily visible on the surface until after a few years. At any time, something can give way and open up.”

Another local, Sveinn Ari Gudjonsson, described the situation as “tragic”.

"In a little village like this one, we're like a family, we all know each other as family,” he told the AFP news agency.

Quote Message: It's unreal, it's like watching a film from Sveinn Ari Gudjonsson

It's unreal, it's like watching a film

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

A 51-year-old Icelandic workman who was repairing cracks in the earth in Grindavik disappeared last Wednesday when the ground suddenly gave way beneath him.

He is thought to have fallen more than 30 metres, according to the AFP news agency.

An intensive search to find him was called off on Friday when the area was deemed too dangerous for the rescue operations.

Workmen have been on the front lines of this latest eruption, attempting to build earth and stone defences around towns and settlements.

Officials are monitoring the situation around the Svartsengi geothermal plant, which provides electricity and water to 30,000 people. Workers have been building a protective wall around it since November.

Some powerful new images from yesterday's volcanic eruption are emerging - showing the lava spilling from the new fissures that opened up near the south-western town of Grindavik.

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

As you can see from this map, two new fissures have opened up in the latest volcanic eruption - allowing lava from the smaller one to spill into the town of Grindavik.

The new fissures, which are a kind of vent, are close to the one that opened in December.

Volcanologist Rikke Pedersen said that activity has "dropped significantly overnight", telling Reuters this afternoon: "It's not certain if what we're seeing is already the end of this eruption."

BBCCopyright: BBC

Grindavik's mayor, Fannar Jonasson, said one of the fissures was only metres from his fence and he thought that he would be among those to lose their homes.

“Then it happened that the lava stopped flowing there so [the house] escaped, as well as the others who were there in danger,” he told RUV.

Gretar Jonsson, who spoke to the Iceland Monitor, had a similar experience.

"I don't understand what caused us to escape," he said, adding that their foster daughter and son-in-law's house was not so lucky.

Jonsson said that while he wanted to remain optimistic, he feels the future is hopeless due to the likelihood that events like this will keep happening.

"This is serious, it's basically as bad as it can possibly get," said Jon Gauti Dagbjartsson, who was evacuated on Sunday.

"Although it might get even worse, who knows," he told Reuters.

Quote Message: I actually live in the house that I was born in and it's a tough thought to think that this town might be over, and I would have to start all over somewhere else. But if that's the case, then that's exactly what we'll do."

I actually live in the house that I was born in and it's a tough thought to think that this town might be over, and I would have to start all over somewhere else. But if that's the case, then that's exactly what we'll do."

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

• Three homes in the Icelandic town of Grindavik were engulfed in flames after two volcanic fissures opened on Sunday
• Lava flow from the northern fissure now seems to have slowed and the flow from the southern fissure seems to have mostly stopped, according to the Icelandic news website Morgunbladid
• This is the fifth eruption in the south-western region of the country since March 2021
• Iceland's president has confirmed that the eruption does not present a threat to life. The town had already been evacuated
• The Icelandic government met this morning to discuss the situation for Grindavik's residents and outline next steps

• All roads to Grindavik are currently closed
• The UK Foreign Office is urging people thinking about travelling to Iceland to monitor local updates and to follow authorities' advice

Multiple houses and buildings in the Icelandic town of Grindavik have been engulfed in flames after lava surrounded them.

The town was originally evacuated in November after an earlier eruption, with some residents being temporarily allowed home. Defences were then built in December, to prevent lava reaching homes, but some have now been partially breached.

Drone footage from 14 January shows the extent of the damage being caused by lava that spewed from the ground, after two fissures opened nearby.

The Icelandic government has been meeting this morning to discuss the situation for Grindavik's residents and outline next steps after the volcanic eruption.

According to Iceland's National Broadcasting Service, that meeting has now ended, and we'll bring you more details as we have them.

As this video shows, several houses have been set on fire as a result of lava making its way towards a town in Iceland.

However, reassuringly, Iceland's president has confirmed that the eruption does not present a threat to life.

Writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, yesterday morning President Gudni Johannesson wrote, "no lives are in danger" but "infrastructure may be under threat".

Most of the population of Grindavik had been evacuated in November last year.

BBCCopyright: BBC

Volcanologist Dr Evgenia Ilyinskaya, of the University of Leeds, has told the BBC that images coming out of Iceland "are very difficult to believe, very difficult to watch".

She told BBC Breakfast this part of Iceland hasn't had eruptions in 800 years and the last time lava threatened a town was 50 years ago in 1973.

When asked just how long the eruptions could last, she warned that this could potentially continue for several centuries:

"I think all the scientists who work on this now agree that we are entering what is called 'New Reykjanes Fires' and this is an episode of very frequent eruptions.

"So we're talking about every few months or once a year or so which could continue for several decades or several centuries."

Dr Ilyinskaya, who grew up in Iceland, said this would be something very difficult for people to get their heads around.

These are some images of the volcano that has erupted in Iceland. Most of them were taken yesterday, as the sun is only just rising there today.

Iceland Public DefenceCopyright: Iceland Public Defence

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Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

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As we’ve been reporting, a volcano has erupted near the south-western Icelandic town of Grindavik, which is around 40km (25 miles) from the capital, Reykjavík.

The eruption is currently only affecting the local area, which people are being urged to stay away from. All roads to Grindavik are currently closed, as is the nearby Blue Lagoon, one of Iceland’s most popular tourist attractions. This is due to reopen on Tuesday.

The rest of the island is considered to be safe. Keflavik International Airport - the country's largest airport - is operating as normal and the likelihood of any air disturbance is considered unlikely, according to Iceland’s Civil Protection service.

The UK Foreign Office is is urging people thinking about travelling to Iceland to monitor local updates and to follow authorities' advice.

BBC Breakfast has been hearing from Tira Shubart, a journalist based in Reykjavik, Iceland's capital.

She said she has spoken to the head of seismic hazards in Iceland, who told her although the flow of lava has not increased, it is impossible to predict how things could unfold.

However, she said it was "a good sign" that eruptions on the ground "seem to have stabilised".