Grindavík, Iceland - Volcano Evacuation

Prayers for the people and pets effected by the lava flows near this town.

This story has for some reason really called out to me. Like I was legit crying while making supper earlier after learning about this.

One of the major news outlets interviewed a man who lives in the house he was born in and he said that it's hard to stay positive about the situation. The town might have to be abandoned because the volcano which was dormant for about 800 years has become active again. So this area may have to deal with lava flows on and off for decades or even hundreds of years into the future until the volcano returns to dormancy. Some evacuees have already said they don't intend to go back.

There is a wall being built to divert the lava away from the town. Even though it wasn't complete, it is working.

These people just went through this last month:

December 19th:
https://www.npr.org/2023/12/18/1220...fter-thousands-were-evacuated-from-a-nearby-t

December 22nd (Allowed to return home):
Residents of Iceland village near volcano that erupted are allowed to return home

January 14-15th:
Iceland faces daunting period after lava from volcano destroys homes in fishing town, president says

18 minute video coverage:


It's hard to know what to do. Will the people stay and finish the wall and rebuild their lives around an active volcano? Or will this be the inevitable beginning of the end for this coastal town?

Our thoughts and prayers are with them.

 

Update on Grindavík

Video 16 minutes:


This is so sad. Their town is being slowly destroyed inch by inch and sink hole by sink hole. These poor people.

Only half the town has power.

Drone footage - 8 minutes:

 

At this rate, it'll be months before they can go back.

 

More Information

From the Iceland government website January 14th:
Eruption in Reykjanes

Article from the Guardian January 15th:
‘This town might be over’: Grindavík residents face uncertain future after volcano erupts again

January 14th one hour live stream with webcams, Geologist Shawn Willsey:
https://www.youtube.com/live/IdqwyjNzTVg?si=s_tKsJE8pWr6gnE5

Geology Professor Shawn Willsey drone footage catches the second fissure as it opens up January 14th (video 11 minutes):


(The video works if you go to YouTube.)

BBC Article from January 15th:
Iceland volcano live: Met Office says volcanic activity near Grindavik easing - BBC News

 

Recent News

January 17th, CNN interviews a couple of people, summarizes the situation, and plays both new and old footage:


January 16th, Icelandic Met Office update (informative website):
No volcanic activity visible | News | Icelandic Meteorological office

January 14th, English translation of Icelandic President's speech PDF file:
| Forseti.is

 

The situation continues to develop....


The Icelandic Meteorological Office has just released another update as of 18:00 UTC that basically says eastern Grindavík is now at higher risk of having another fissure open up or of sink holes developing. I don't understand all of the geology behind this but basically Grindavík is not out of the woods yet.

The link to IMO is already provided above.

As devastating as this is for the people, it is a very interesting event. We need to continue to pray for them as they deal with this volcanic activity.

 

From the MET Office as of January 18th at 15:30 UTC:

"As reported in the news yesterday, clear signs of land rise persist beneath Svartsengi, but it is still too early to determine the rate of the uplift due to the recent volcanic activity in the area. GNSS measurements are being evaluated to provide a comprehensive assessment of the situation. However, it appears that the deformation remains similar to that observed after the volcanic eruption on December 18.

Around 200 earthquakes have been recorded near the magma conduit since yesterday, with the largest measuring 1.4 in magnitude. Since midnight, approximately 70 small earthquakes have occurred, which is fewer than measured the day before. The weather has impacted the number of earthquakes detected in recent days, but the number of earthquakes seems to have decreased overall.

A significant risk remains in Grindavík due to fissures and the potential for ground collapse into them."

 

More Documentation:

Fox News interview from January 14th (9 minutes):


Update from Just Icelandic, one of the locals January 14th (4 minutes). There are links to live camera feeds in the description.


Another Update from Just Icelandic January 15th (8 minutes):


Update from Traveller In The Whole World January 17th (6 minutes), footage:


January 14th, Hliarmenn (7 minutes):


Update from Silki, January 19th (20 minutes):
https://youtu.be/GRBaGIKl0lo?si=bpa2k-26L17K-DAa

 

Key Points as of January 19th:

* The residents are asking the government to buy them out so that they can have the freedom to make their own decisions about where to live.

* Geologists are expecting another eruption in the near future.

* The very soonest the residents will be allowed to return home will be in the summer. But even that may be too optimistic an outlook.

* Many tourists use Grindavík as a vacation spot because of its proximity to the Blue Lagoon which is a huge source of money for the economy.

* There are hollow pockets under the town making sinkholes an ever present danger.

* The future of Grindavík is very uncertain. The people may not be able to return home for a very long time.

 

The IMO has downgraded the severity as reflected on the hazards map.

https://en.vedur.is/media/uncategorized/Hazard_map_IMO_19jan_2024.png

From the IMO:

Uplift at Svartsengi continues
Magma most likely no longer flowing into the dyke which formed on January 14 and that the eruption has ended. An updated hazard assessment still estimates that the danger of fissures within Grindavík is high
19.1.2024

Updated 19 January 16:30 UTC

Clear signals of a continued land uplift are still being detected beneath Svartsengi. It is yet too early to assert whether the rate of the land uplift has increased since prior to the eruption on January 14. First measurements suggest that is the case, but as has previously been written measurements can fluctuate from one day to the next and a longer timeline of measurement is needed to be able to interpret the long-term development of the land uplift.

Seismic activity continues to decrease in the area of the magma dyke and deformation signals seen on GPS devices suggest significant slow down of ground movement compared to previous days. This information suggest that magma is no longer flowing into the dyke and the eruption has ended.

GPS measurements also show small deformation within Grindavík. There is still high danger of ground collapse into fissures within the town and thus important to map new fissures and changes to known ones estimated.

The Icelandic Meteorological Office has updated the hazard assessment due to the volcanic and seismic activity. Hazard level has been decreased in all zones.

An overall hazard assessment for zone 1, Svartsengi, is now down to yellow (moderate hazard).

An overall hazard assessment for zone 4, Grindavík, is now down to red (high hazard). Note that the colour of zones represents the overall hazard within those zones. A hazard which is rated greater within a zone is written in bold letters in the list of hazards on the map.

The the hazard assessmept map takes effect at 15:00 today, Friday January 19 and is valid until Thursday, January 25, at 15:00, unless there are significant developments.

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So, is the eruption finally over? Only time will tell.

 

Have you ever thought about taking a risky vacation with possible risks to your life?

Good news! The Blue Lagoon is getting ready to reopen for tourists.

You mean that vacation spot that's not too far away from Grindavík?

Yep. That's the one! So if you enjoy living life on the edge, consider vacationing near an increasingly active volcano! You'll probably have a blast!

Source:
Reopening | Blue Lagoon