EGN NEWS DESK
A volcano in southwestern Iceland erupted on Wednesday for the fifth time since December, cracking the Sundhnjukar mountain ridge open with spectacular pressure and sending lava spewing 150 ft into the air.
The meteorological workplace mentioned it acquired indications of a attainable eruption about two hours earlier than it occurred at 1 p.m. native time in Grindavik, prompting the civil protection company to instantly urge visitors on the Blue Lagoon — the geothermal spa that’s one in every of Iceland’s hottest vacationer locations — to evacuate.
“Evacuate, Evacuate!” learn a textual content message despatched to the almost 800 visitors staying on the Blue Lagoon and surrounding accommodations. Civil protection sirens put in in February rang out as guests scrambled to depart.
Within minutes of the eruption, drivers touring the freeway to Keflavik Airport posted photos of the almost two-mile-long fissure at Sundhnjukar. A big column of smoke was seen from Reykjavik, the capital.
Helga Arnadottir, a spokeswoman, mentioned that this was the fifth evacuation order for the reason that volcano first roared again to life final yr. The evacuation went as “easily as those earlier than,” Ms. Arnadottir added. Hotel visitors took about half an hour to evacuate, she mentioned.
Another 300 folks needed to transfer from Grindavik, a fishing city that has largely been deserted since January after lava and earthquakes from earlier eruptions destroyed components of it. The authorities has supplied to purchase all residential houses in Grindavik to permit residents to resettle elsewhere. Nearly all property house owners within the space have opted to promote.
Iceland’s tourism board urged folks to not attempt to get near the eruption and was fast to notice that the nation remained a protected vacation spot. The island nation’s financial system depends closely on tourism; airways and journey companies have reported a drop in gross sales for the reason that eruptions started in December. Keflavik Airport reported no disruptions to flights on Wednesday.
While the eruption occurred with little discover, scientists had predicted one other volcanic occasion would occur after the final eruption three weeks in the past.
Magnus Gudmundsson, who was among the many first volcanologists to fly over the positioning, informed The New York Times that the fissure at Sundhnjukar appeared to have grown. By Wednesday night, lava had reached the limitations surrounding Grindavik that had been put in place to redirect the move away from the city.
“We watched the fissure widen and a heavy stream of lava operating south” towards Grindavik, Mr. Gudmundsson mentioned. Parts of the primary street had been destroyed. The volcano has already produced 2.1 sq. miles of lava, Mr. Gudmundsson added, “a great quantity.”
