On January 14th, a new volcanic eruption began in southwest Iceland. The outbreak affected the neighboring village of Grindavik, where several houses caught fire. Follow the latest information.
6:05 p.m
ALARM REPORTED
Following the announcement of a new outbreak, Icelandic Civil Protection decided to raise the risk level in the region to “urgent”.
18:02
“Protecting infrastructure”
On the social network
Aerial photos from the Icelandic Coast Guard show the proximity of the lava flow to the town of Grindavík. Measures are being taken to protect the infrastructure. pic.twitter.com/fM0JEYetNA — President of Iceland (@PresidentISL) January 14, 2024
5:56 p.m
“SAME POWER FOR ABOUT AN HOUR”
In its latest weather report, the IMO said the current eruption “remained at the same strength for about an hour.” With the new fissure from which lava is flowing and reaching Grindavik, “existing faults and fractures have been reactivated and new fractures have likely formed” in the city that was evacuated overnight.
5:45 p.m
SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT
After the new outbreak in Iceland, President Gudni Johannesson is scheduled to give a speech at 8 p.m. local time or at 9 p.m. in Paris, according to public broadcaster RUV. Before this speech, a ministerial coordination committee will meet at 5 p.m. in Iceland and 6 p.m. in Paris.
17:22
An uninhabited house
According to the city of Grindavík, the first house set on fire by the lava flow was uninhabited. The owner couple lived elsewhere in the city, in a house that was itself badly damaged by the November earthquakes.
5:20 p.m
An outbreak follows
Icelandic media company RUV has installed a webcam to follow the progress of the new lava flow live.
5:12 p.m
TWO HOUSES ON FIRE
Lava flowed from a new fissure that formed at midday and reached Grindavik, photographed below. Two houses caught fire when they came into contact with the current.
After a new volcanic eruption near Grindavik, this Sunday, January 14, 2024, a flow of lava reached the town and burned two houses. – Halldor KOLBEINS / AFP17:02REPORTING
Despite the dikes that were built to protect the city, the water flows inexorably towards Grindavik. “We have absolutely no way of knowing when it will stop or whether it will spare the city,” admits a French guide present at the scene. You can find a report in the following article.
Published today at 3:59 p.m.16:56
FIFTH Eruption IN THREE YEARS
This is the fifth volcanic eruption in Iceland in almost three years. The previous event took place on the evening of December 18 in the same area, about forty kilometers southwest of the capital Reykjavik. For volcanologists, these numerous eruptions are a sign of a resumption of volcanic activity in the region.
16:53
PLANES CAN TRAVEL FURTHER
In a message on the social network Furthermore, “the flights will not be interrupted,” the president said.
4:45 p.m
TWO CRACKS
According to the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO), the eruption began around 8 a.m. north of Grindavik. A first crack appeared “on both sides of the defenses built north of Grindavík”, about 450 meters from the city.
At midday, the IMO announced that “a new fissure has emerged just outside the city limits of Grindavik.” This reached Grindavik and caused the two houses to burn. For the mayor of Grindavik, Fannar Jónasson, the new crack creates “a new situation” but “we can't do anything” and considers the situation worrying.
16:33
AERIAL PICTURES OF THE COULÉES
The Icelandic media RUV published aerial photos of the lava flows, including the one that reached Grindavik.
They have experienced more of divine holiness. It lasted until Grindavikur. This means that the time is so great that the time and the time they are in is no longer so good, and they have to stay in the night. pic.twitter.com/HWbcoKWfsJ — Fréttastofa RÚV (@RUVfrettir) January 14, 2024
16:18
TWO HOUSES CATCH FIRE
The ongoing volcanic eruption in southwest Iceland has reached the port of Grindavik and two houses caught fire after being hit by lava, public television surveillance footage shows. Last night the few dozen residents who had relocated to Grindavik in late December were evacuated, just hours before the eruption began.
On the morning of January 14, a new volcanic eruption began in Iceland north of the city of Grindavik. According to the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO), it followed an earlier eruption in December in the same region in the southwest of the country. Seismic activity accelerated sharply during the night from Saturday to Sunday, leading to the rapid evacuation of Grindavik's 4,000 residents around 3 a.m., according to Icelandic media.
Volcanic eruption, Iceland, December 2023 – VOGAR, ICELANDThe fourth outbreak in two years
In fact, in December, scientists couldn't say whether the outbreak was actually behind them. “Volcanic activity appears to have stopped late last night or early morning,” the agency announced in a press release on December 22, adding: “Nevertheless, it is possible that lava flows downward in closed channels.” Therefore, may one cannot say that the outbreak is over.
This eruption, the fourth in two years, occurred on the evening of December 18th. The phenomenon began after a series of earthquakes recorded three kilometers from Grindavik. The city was evacuated on November 11 after significant magma accumulation.
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