Iceland
Officials say there is no visible movement at the site near Grindavík, but it is possible that lava is still flowing underneath
Employees and agencies in Reykjavik
Fri Dec 22, 2023 4:49 p.m. GMT
Authorities in Iceland have downgraded the threat level from the volcano that erupted earlier this week, as officials said they could no longer observe volcanic activity at the site of the eruption.
Monday's eruption opened a crack in the ground about 4 kilometers long and spewed orange lava into the sky just 3 kilometers from the town of Grindavík.
“The volcanic activity appears to have ended late last night or early morning,” the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) said on Friday, adding that no activity was visible during monitoring flights.
“Nevertheless, it is possible that lava is flowing underneath… and therefore it cannot be said that the eruption is over,” it said.
Iceland volcano tourists have been urged to “think four times” before getting too close
The authorities also lowered their alert level. The state of emergency declared on Monday evening was downgraded by one level.
On Thursday, authorities began allowing the evacuated town's 4,000 residents access to the small fishing port between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. However, authorities said it was still not safe for overnight stays and first responders were in the city should an emergency evacuation be necessary.
Aerial footage shows Icelandic volcano spewing lava – video
Amid weeks of warnings from scientists, authorities built reinforcements around the Svartsengi geothermal power plant, located just over a mile from the eruption and providing electricity and water to 30,000 people on the peninsula. The possibility of building a similar barrier to protect Grindavík is currently being discussed.
Volcanic eruptions are common in Iceland, where there are 33 active volcanic systems, the highest number in Europe.
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