Iceland - Volcanic unrest (ECHO 13 Nov 2023)Mon, 13 Nov 2023 11:29
- Since 25 October, intense seismic activity related to a magma intrusion has started in the Reykjanes peninsula in south-western Iceland.
- As of 12 November around 1,000 earthquakes - all below 3.0 M - have been recorded in the area of unrest. Most of the earthquakes are located in the region north of Grindavik Town, Reykjanes peninsula. The earthquakes are at a depth of 3-5 km corresponding to the lower part of the dyke intrusion. In addition, superficial deformation associated with the magma intrusion has been recorded in the area, this can be an indication that magma is moving closer to the surface.
- Following this kind of activity, the civil protection has preventively evacuated all the people living in Grindavik Town, almost 3,700 residents and closed all the routes to the town. Moreover, the quakes and ground deformation caused by the magma intrusion resulted in damage to roads and buildings in Grindavik and its surroundings.
- National authorities are continuously monitoring the area.
Volcano Reykjanes - EC/ECHO daily mapMon, 13 Nov 2023 19:07
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Iceland - Volcanic unrest, update (ECHO 30 Nov 2023)Thu, 30 Nov 2023 12:40
- The seismic activity due to magma intrusion that is affecting the Reykjanes Peninsula (south-western Iceland) since early November has continued to decrease in the last two days.
- According to the Icelandic Met Office (IMO), as of 29 November, nearly 340 earthquakes were detected in the last 24 hours in the region of the magma intrusion, east of Sýlingarfell. Moreover, the rate of uplift is decreasing in Svartsengi area.
- As of 28 November, the Icelandic Civil Protection reports that the building of a defense wall around Svartsengi power plant is ongoing and 3,700 people are still evacuated from Grindavik. Moreover, electricity, drinking water networks, several houses and roads have been damaged. The alert level have been downgraded from emergency to hazard phase.
- Following the activation of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) on 20 November, five civil protection experts from Germany, Finland and Italy have been deployed.
Iceland - Volcanic eruption (ECHO 19 Dec 2023)Tue, 19 Dec 2023 12:15
- On 18 December at 22:17 UTC, a 4 km long volcanic fissure started erupting lava. The fissure is located in correspondence of the dyke intrusion that formed in November almost 3 km from Grindavík Town (Reykjanes Peninsula, south-western Iceland).
- The rate of lava flow during the first two hours of the eruption was approximately hundreds of cubic metres per second, with the largest lava fountains on the northern end of the fissures. In recent hours, lava is spreading laterally from either side of the newly opened fissures.
- Following the seismic swarm due to the dyke intrusion recorded in November, about 4,000 people were earlier evacuated from Grindavik and the nearby Blue Lagoon.
- National authorities have raised the Civil Protection Service Level to Emergency. The Civil Defense Coordination Center has been activated.
Volcano Reykjanes - EC/ECHO daily mapWed, 20 Dec 2023 19:08
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Iceland - Volcanic activity (ECHO 15 Jan 2024)Mon, 15 Jan 2024 12:18
- A new lava eruption started on 14 January at 7.57 UTC, and the fissure opening was located southeast of Hagafell Mountain. The southernmost part of the fissure is about 900 m from the town of Grindavík. Lava flow towards the town is ongoing and at 12.10 UTC on 14 January, a new lava fissure opened, and the lava flow affected the northern part of Grindavik. Gas pollution from the eruption is spreading south and southwest.
- According to media reports, all the people living in the town of Grindavik have been evacuated for the second time - they were allowed to return to their homes on 22 December following the eruption of 18 December. In addition, some houses in the town have been burned by the lava flow as well as road 43 which connects the city with the airport and Reykjavik. In addition, the wall defenses built after the eruption in December have partially contained the lava, but some have been breached.
- The Civil Defense Coordination Center was activated on 14 January due to an impending volcanic eruption subsequently, the Civil Defense declared a state of emergency.
Volcano Reykjanes - EC/ECHO daily mapTue, 16 Jan 2024 18:54
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Iceland - Volcanic eruption (ECHO 08 Feb 2024)Thu, 08 Feb 2024 11:47
- A volcanic eruption occurred on 8 February at 6.11 UTC following a short seismic activity in the area north of Sylingarfell Mount. The eruptive fissure is approximately 3,000 m long, from the southern part of Sundhnúkur Mount and the eastern part of Stóra-Skógfell Mount, in the same location of the 18 December 2023 eruption.
- According to the Icelandic Civil Protection Authorities, as the population of the town Grindavik has been evacuated since the 14 of January, there were no residents present at the start of the eruption.
Volcano Reykjanes - EC/ECHO daily mapMon, 12 Feb 2024 18:17
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Iceland - Volcanic unrest (ECHO 04 Mar 2024)Mon, 04 Mar 2024 10:38
- On 2 March at 15:55 UTC, an intense microseismic activity related to magma movement occurred east of Sýlingarfell Hill, on the Reykjanes Peninsula in south-western Iceland.
- According to the Icelandic Met Office (IMO), as of 3 March, the magma volume and the likelihood of an eruption in the southern part of the fissure formed on 18 December 2023 is increasing.
- On the same date, media reported that Grindavík Town and Blue Lagoon Centre had been evacuated. There were few people in Grindavík Town, the evacuation order had been on and off since 12 November 2023.
- The hazard level was raised on 2 March and lowered the following day as seismic activity decreased.
- National authorities are continuously monitoring the area.
Iceland - Volcanic eruption (ECHO 18 Mar 2024)Mon, 18 Mar 2024 11:51
- A volcanic eruption began on 16 March at 20.23 UTC between Mt. Hagafell and Mt. Stóra Skógfell on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southern Iceland. There are three eruptive opening fissures approximately 2,900 m long in the same location of the 8 February 2024 eruption.
- According to Icelandic Met Offic, as of 17 March at 18.40 UTC, the lava is propagating at an average speed of 12 m/h in the southern and south-eastern part of the Grindavik area.
- According to the Icelandic Civil Protection and to media, as of 17 March, the town of Grindavik and the Blue Lagoon Centre have been evacuated, several road in the area have been closed, the lava was about 700-800 metres from the Grindavíkurvegur main road at 22.00 local time.
- On 16 March, the Civil Protection Emergency Level was declared due to the eruption.
- On 18 March, the activity of the eruption has significantly slowed down. For now, the lava flow has nearly stopped and at the moment it is not threatening any infrastructure. This might though change depending on the eruption activity and possible change in lava flow.
Volcano Reykjanes - EC/ECHO daily mapMon, 18 Mar 2024 18:46
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