Another volcanic eruption was reported in southwestern Iceland on Wednesday night, with drone footage from the area showing lava shooting into the air from open cracks. Local authorities have declared a state of emergency and the area has been evacuated.
GRINDAVIK, ICELAND – Popular Icelandic destination Blue Lagoon was closed and evacuated on Thursday after another volcanic eruption sent lava into the facility’s parking lot and destroyed at least one service building, according to reports. .
Cameras placed around Sundunukul volcano captured stunning footage of the eruption lighting up the night sky shortly before midnight local time on Wednesday.
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A video recorded in Iceland shows fissures forming during a volcanic eruption that began on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, with lava and smoke filling the sky.
“At around 10:30 pm last night, seismic activity started again near the eruption site from the previous eruption,” an expert told Reuters. “That means the same rift was active all the way through (2024).”
He said pressure in the borehole had begun to rise, meaning that a breach of the levee was underway and an eruption could be imminent.
“The eruption started at 11:15 p.m.,” she continued. “So it was a very rapid progression of events. We knew that the pressure within the magma chambers that feed these eruptions was almost at a level where we could expect an eruption.”
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Following the incident, local authorities declared a state of emergency to allow residents and tourists to safely evacuate potentially dangerous areas, as is often the case after eruptions.
The country has dispatched at least one Coast Guard helicopter to the area to monitor the lava flow and assess whether infrastructure may be damaged during the flow.
Lava began flowing rapidly towards the Blue Lagoon resort on Thursday, state broadcaster RÚV reported. A protective wall built to protect the area appears to have stopped the lava and kept it away from the facility itself.
However, lava began flowing into the Blue Lagoon parking lot, destroying at least one service building, RÚV said.
A video recorded at Iceland’s famous Blue Lagoon shows people evacuating as sirens blare in the distance warning of a volcanic eruption on the outskirts of the seaside town of Grindavik on Wednesday, May 29, 2024.
“Due to the volcanic eruption that began in Sundonux Guigal on November 20th, we have taken the precautionary measures of evacuating all sales forces and temporarily closing,” Blue Lagoon said in an emergency message on its website. mentioned in. “The Blue Lagoon will remain closed until Sunday, November 24th, at which point the situation will be reassessed.”
In addition to the Blue Lagoon, authorities also evacuated the seaside town of Grindavik. The town was on alert even before the volcano’s first eruption began in late 2023.
Watch a volcano erupt outside Iceland’s capital
A video shot in Iceland shows a spectacular view of lava spewing into the sky and the bright aurora borealis during a volcanic eruption on Friday, August 28, 2024.
The eruption was at least the seventh time in the past year that lava has been released from the fissure.
An eruption in early 2024 damaged the region’s main pipeline, which provides hot water to homes and businesses that are not yet in use.
Located near the intersection of the Eurasian and North American plates, Iceland is a country no stranger to volcanic activity.
The island is home to approximately 130 volcanoes, most of which are believed to be dormant.
