Iceland’s volcano erupts with lava ‘flowing a few hundred metres’ north of Grindavik

A volcano has erupted in the town of Grindavik, Iceland and overnight it was evacuated after molten rock was spewing from fissures in the ground.

The town was evacuated amid a swarm of seismic activity and earthquakes close to the town Grindavik.

Barriers were built in an attempt to stop the lava from reaching the town, however this latest eruption is thought to have penetrated the barriers.

“Lava is flowing a few hundred metres north of the town – this is 400 to 500 metres,” Kristin Jonsdottir, from the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO), told Iceland’s RUV television.

“Lava flows towards Grindavik.”

🚨#BREAKING: Iceland Volcano has erupted for the Second Time now being extremely Dangerously Close to the town of Grindavík

📌#Grindavík | #Iceland pic.twitter.com/Ps0yq2ImGr

— Hollow dreams (@HollowDreams0) January 14, 2024

The IMO said in a separate statement, “According to the first images from the coast guard’s surveillance flight, a crack has opened on both sides of the defences that have begun to be built north of Grindavík.”

In December Iceland’s volcano erupted following thousands of earthquakes which saw more than 4,000 people evacuated.

Iceland’s Meteorological Office confirmed the volcanic eruption of Mount Fagradalsfjall, and sky turned red as lava was spewing into the air.

‼️🚨 New eruption in #Iceland

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For speed, here’s video of what’s happening now. I’lll post again when I’ve caught up on all the news.

Let me know what you’ve heard…. pic.twitter.com/MQAPu8GiBk

— Volcaholic 🌋 (@volcaholic1) January 14, 2024

The Icelandic Met Office’s Lovísa Mjöll Guðmundsdóttir said, “The activity of the eruption has been greatly reduced since the beginning and the average lava flow is 250 cubic meters per second.

“But there is great uncertainty in the measurements regarding the lava flow and this is only a first estimate.”