LIVE – Volcano in Iceland: Eruption hits town of Grindavik, houses on fire

Following the announcement of a new explosion, Icelandic Civil Defense decided to raise the threat level in the area to “urgent”.

On the social network X, the Icelandic president shared an aerial view of the explosion, confirming that “measures are being taken to protect the infrastructure”.

In its latest weather report, the IMO said the current eruption “remained at the same strength for about an hour.” With new fissures from which lava flows have reached Grindavik, “existing faults and fractures have been reactivated and possibly new fractures formed” in the town.

Following the new explosion in Iceland, President Gudni Johannesson is due to speak at 8pm local time or 9pm in Paris, according to public broadcaster RUV. Before this speech, the ministerial coordination committee meets at 5 pm in Iceland or 6 pm in Paris.

According to the city of Grindavik, the first house to catch fire from the lava flow was uninhabited. The owner couple lived elsewhere in the city, in a house that itself was badly damaged by the November earthquake.

Icelandic media RUV has installed a webcam to follow the progress of the new lava flow live.

From a new fissure that appeared at midday, lava flowed that reached Grindavik, photographed below. Two houses caught fire after coming in contact with the current.

Despite the dykes built to protect the town, the flow continues unabated towards Grindavik. “We don’t know when it will stop or if it will save the city,” says a French guide at the site. A report can be found in the following article.

This is the fifth volcano to erupt in Iceland in about three years. An earlier one occurred in the same area on the evening of 18 December, located about forty kilometers southwest of the capital Reykjavík. These numerous eruptions are a signal to volcanologists for a resumption of volcanic activity in the region.

“Flights are not interrupted,” the president said in a message on the social network.

According to the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO), the eruption started around 8am north of Grindavik. The first crack was made “on either side of the defenses being built north of Grindavik” about 450 meters from the town.

At noon, the IMO announced that “a new fissure has opened just outside the city limits of Grindavik.” This is what reached Grindavik, causing both houses to burn down. For the mayor of Grindavik, Fannar Jónasson, the new crack “creates a new situation” but “there is nothing we can do”, considering the situation alarming.

Icelandic media RUV published aerial photos of the lava flow, including lava reaching Grindavik.

According to surveillance footage broadcast by public television, an ongoing volcanic eruption in southwest Iceland has reached the port of Grindavik and two houses caught fire after being hit by lava. Last night, a few hours before the start of the eruption, several dozen residents who had resettled in late December in Grindavik were evacuated.