GRINDAVIK, Iceland. Iceland’s tumultuous geological activity continues as a volcano erupted once again on Saturday evening, marking the fourth eruption in just three months. The fiery display illuminated the night sky with vivid orange jets of lava.
The Icelandic Meteorological Office reported that the eruption created a fissure approximately 3 kilometers (nearly 2 miles) long between the Stóra-Skógfell and Hagafell mountains on the Reykjanes Peninsula. Warning signs had been evident for weeks, with accumulating magma beneath the surface indicating an imminent eruption.
As the volcanic activity intensified, hundreds of individuals were evacuated from the renowned Blue Lagoon thermal spa, a significant tourist attraction in Iceland. Despite the eruption, operations at Keflavik, Iceland’s primary airport, remained unaffected.
The eruption site lies a few kilometers northeast of Grindavik, a coastal town that witnessed its evacuation in November due to seismic activity. Subsequent eruptions in December and January threatened the town again, with defensive measures being tested against the flowing lava.
Geophysicist Magnús Tumi Guðmundsson emphasized the intensity of the latest eruption, noting its potential impact on the defensive barriers surrounding Grindavik. Despite the threat, Iceland, accustomed to volcanic activity due to its location above a volcanic hot spot in the North Atlantic, is adept at managing such situations.
While recent eruptions have not resulted in confirmed deaths, concerns remain high, with one worker declared missing after falling into a fissure caused by the volcanic activity.
Iceland’s geological dance with its fiery depths continues to captivate the world, reminding us of the island’s raw and dynamic nature.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
