As of November 2023, Iceland has declared a state of emergency due to the high risk of volcanic activity. In the coastal fishing town of Grindavík– roughly 25 miles south of Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik– up to 2,000 earthquakes have shaken the lives of residents. Thousands of people who live in this small town have been forced to evacuate from their homes as large cracks have begun to appear in the streets and a tunnel of magma has been discovered under the town. The high level of seismic activity has begun to fade in recent weeks, leading experts to believe that the threat of eruption is fading with them. Unfortunately, these experts report that residents are not safe to return until any and all threats have completely subsided.
The most probable site for this volcanic eruption is the Reykjanes Peninsula, which has erupted multiple times in the past several years, such as in July. The series of seismic events began on October 25th, and peaked on November 10th when a 15-kilometer long magmatic tunnel was formed under the town. Within these weeks, people with homes in Grindavík have been permitted a short period of time to retrieve pets or valuable belongings from their homes. Recently, however, earthquake activity has been gradually decreasing.
Although the number of earthquakes have gone down, this volcanic process might not be over. Data from the Icelandic Met Office reveals that ground in the area of the eruption is continuing to swell. The inflation has decreased since early December, but is still sizable compared to a time prior to the original dike formation on November 10th. Magma has continued to accumulate, posing the risk of another dike forming. If this happens, the dike would likely be similar to the one formed early November. If an eruption occurs, it is likely that it would be located north of Grindavík.
What could the eruption in the Reykjanes Peninsula potentially look like? According to LiveScience and Al Jazeera, it is predicted that for the most part, magma would simply seep out of the ground rather than directly shoot up out of it. But this lava could potentially harm the town of Grindavík and the Blue Lagoon due to their close proximity to the eruption site. Moreover, the geothermal pipelines, a system that provides hot water to thousands of Iceland citizens, is threatened by this eruption. This eruption could potentially release high levels of toxic gasses, including sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide, which would risk the lives of anyone exposed to them.
The lives of people living in Grindavík have already been drastically impacted by the potential eruption, as they have been instructed to leave their homes, schools, and the vast majority of their belongings behind. After leaving their homes in a frenzy, residents of Grindavík are now searching for places to stay outside of their hometown. According to The Guardian, some citizens of Grindavík have nowhere to go. In fact, some of the town’s immigrants have already left Iceland. The town’s buildings have been shaken and damaged by the constant seismic activity, posing the question of whether or not Grindavík is safe enough to return to.
Iceland’s history is filled with volcanic eruptions, especially as of the last few years. Although eruptions in Iceland are quite frequent, they are generally ‘tame’ in comparison to other eruptions in the world. There are 130 volcanoes throughout the country, 32 of which are active volcanoes. Three eruptions have taken place in the past three years, one in March 2021, one in August 2022, and one just a few months ago. Although, all three of these eruptions took place in more remote parts of the country, so they didn’t cause significant damage or harshly affect the lives of citizens. The most recent eruption happened this past July, where Litli-Hrutur, also known as Little Ram, erupted in the Fagradalsfjall area. This eruption began on July 10th, and was clearly a larger eruption compared to those of the previous years. By the eruption’s conclusion on August 5th, 2023, Litli-Hrutur earned itself the title of Earth’s newest “baby volcano.”
Iceland has been experiencing volcanic eruptions left and right for the past several years. Unfortunately, the potential eruption in the Reykjanes Peninsula is not over yet. Seismic activity is going down as the days pass, and therefore the danger level as well. But the small town of Grindavík will remain evacuated until the danger has completely subsided. Recent volcanic activity has shaken the lives of Iceland citizens. More specifically, the town of Grindavík is in danger, leaving its residents in chaos attempting to find a place to stay until the threats have concluded. It is crucial to spread awareness of their situation so that safety is ensured for any citizen put at risk by this potential eruption.
