Iceland volcano – live: Footage shows lava flowing towards Grindavik in ‘most powerful’ eruption so far
Fourth eruption threatens Grindavik infrastructure as authorities warn of ‘dangerous’ consequences if lava flows reach sea
Iceland has experienced its most powerful volcano eruption since December last year on the Reykjanes Peninsula, spewing bright orange lava high into the air.
The eruption has sent fountains of molten rock soaring from a 3km long fissure, with lava now flowing just a few hundred metres from Grindavik, which was first evacuated back in November.
Geophysicist Magnus Tumi Gudmundsson was quoted by Icelandic broadcaster RUV as saying this latest eruption is the most powerful so far.
The powerful lava stream has threatened the region’s main water pipe and is just 200m away, the Icelandic Met Office (IMO) said.
The water pipe is close to the Svartsengi power plant, a geothermal power plant that provides hot water to most of the peninsula.
The IMO head warned of “dangerous” consequences of lava possibly reaching the sea if it flows southward.
Residents of the fishing town of Grindavik have once again been evacuated from the area, having received text messages telling them to leave with just a few minutes notice.
Volcano barriers working to deflect lava flow
Man-made barriers are working in slowing down the rate of lava flow and steering it away from key infrastructure.
Halldor Geirsson, associate professor at the Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland, said: “The rate of the lava flow is getting lower and lower.”
“Most of the flow is going east of the town towards the sea, so it looks like the barriers are doing the job they were designed for.”
He said that the lava flow was quite energetic, and there was a lot of material coming out.
Iceland‘s Meteorological Office said the eruption opened a fissure in the earth about two miles long between the mountains of Stora-Skogfell and Hagafell.
It said on Sunday that lava is flowing south and south-east at about 0.6mph, and might reach the sea. Defensive barriers have been built to stop it from inundating the main road along the peninsula’s southern coast.
Watch: Huge volcano erupts in Iceland spewing bright orange lava into air
Watch: Huge volcano erupts in Iceland spewing bright orange lava into air
Watch live: Iceland volcano spews lava near Grindavik as it erupts for fourth time in three months
Watch: Iceland volcano spews lava as it erupts for fourth time in three months
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Iceland volcano's powerful lava flows engulf peninsula amid fourth eruption in three months
Pictured: Icelandic lava field
Lava close to Svartsengi plant but power remains uninterrupted
Officials said that Svartsengi power plant is fully operational despite the lava coming close and stopping 200 metres from its high-voltage lines and the hot-water pipes.
Kristinn Harðarson, CEO of production at HS Orka, told mbl.is. that the “lava tongue that came there stopped a bit from the high-voltage lines and our hot water pipeline, so there was no impact on those pipelines”.
“Svartsengi is fully operational and there is no interruption due to the eruption. Likewise, all the pipelines from the power plant are safe,” he said.
“We took such preventive measures to ensure electricity security in the power plant and therefore we had to take electricity off Grindavík for a short period because of that.”
Watch live: Iceland volcano spews lava near Grindavik as it erupts for fourth time in three months
Watch: Iceland volcano spews lava as it erupts for fourth time in three months
Is it safe to travel to Iceland after volcanic eruption? Your rights if you have a holiday booked
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