Iceland volcano map showing Grindavik volcano eruption area

Another volcanic eruption has begun on Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula, the sixth since December last year.

The latest eruption began at about 9:30 p.m. local time on Thursday, with lava flowing from a 2.4-mile-long fissure in the ground.

The five previous eruptions along the Sundhanoks crater chain occurred on May 29, March 16, February 8, January 14 and December 18 last year, the Icelandic Meteorological Office said. Draw a map From the area covered by lava flows of these eruptions during the past few months.

The map shows how lava from previous eruptions has crept up to the edge of the fishing town of Grindavik to the south and approached the famous Blue Lagoon to the west. Grindavik’s 4,000 residents have had to evacuate several times as a result of these lava flows, with several homes burning down over the past few months.

“Most Icelandic eruptions are basalts: silica-poor magma with a low viscosity so that gases (which are less abundant here anyway) can escape without causing an explosion,” David Rothery, professor of planetary geoscience at the Open University in the UK, told ScienceAlert. Newsweek“[Lava is] on [2,012 degrees F] “In the case of basalt, as we have seen, it sets houses on fire. It will sweep away anything that is not combustible.”

This eruption, unlike the previous one, “no lava flow was observed to the south towards Grindavik”, with “a lava flow” [continuing] To the east and west towards Grindavíkurvegur, according to the IMO statement.

“Seismic activity is fairly stable, with the main activity concentrated at the northern end of the fissure. It is therefore unlikely that the fissure will extend to the south. It cannot be ruled out that the fissure will extend to the north,” the IMO said.

The town of Grindavik remained largely empty in the months between eruptions. Although Grindavik was not at risk from the lava flow this time, the few people who returned were evacuated because of the toxic gas clouds that the eruption caused, which covered the town.

Videos and photos posted online showed lava spewing from the fissure, with smoke and steam rising into the night.

This eruption was preceded by increased seismic activity throughout the week, with a strong earthquake recorded just before the eruption began last night.

“At 20:48 UTC, a strong seismic wave started in the Sundhanokur crater row between Stora-Skogfjell and Selingarfjell,” the IMO reported minutes before the eruption began. “Increased pressure was also measured in wells. These are clear signs that the dam has started to spread and that an eruption is likely imminent.”

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