The disaster agency said it had sent a helicopter to pinpoint the location of the fissure eruption. According to the weather service, the fissure is located in the area of the February 8 eruption. A lava flow flowed south towards the protective walls at the fishing town of Grindavik. As in February, lava also flowed westward. The length of the fissure was estimated at 2.9 kilometers.
A few minutes before the eruption, Iceland’s weather service reported increased seismic activity and warned of an imminent eruption. On Friday, the weather service said magma was accumulating underground in the area, which could lead to another eruption.
Local media reported that the Blue Lagoon thermal spa, popular with tourists, and the town of Grindavik had been evacuated.
The fishing town had already been evacuated on November 11th, and the approximately 4,000 residents were only allowed to return to their homes on February 19th. Because streets and houses in Grindavik were damaged by hundreds of tremors, only about a hundred people actually returned.
With more than 30 active volcanic systems, Iceland is the largest and most active volcanic region in Europe. The island nation in the North Atlantic lies on the so-called Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which separates the Eurasian and North American plates.
