Iceland’s Quakes Intensify - Evacuations

[Andie]

The Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) said on its website Tuesday that about 700 earthquakes have been reported in the region since midnight, with the largest a magnitude 3.1 at Hagafell. A magnitude 3.8 was recorded at Kleifarvatn late Monday night.

The IMO said most of the earthquake activity has been reported along the magma tunnel at a depth of about 1.86 miles to 3.1 miles.

Data shows that land deformation continues in the area – more than 3 feet in some spots – which is consistent with magma still flowing beneath the earth’s surface.

https://www.foxweather.com/extreme-weather/iceland-grindavik-volcano-eruption-evacuation-earthquake-cracks-video

[Andie]

They aren’t expecting an eruption like the last one that produced so much particulate in the air and disrupted air traffic.  

However, if you live there it’s an issue. Evacuations are underway as magma rises and some roads are are damaged.  
Iceland is always worth watching as it lies on the great Atlantic fault.   Still it will an interesting eruption.  

[Iceresistance]

Could this Eruption be similar to the one in Hawaii in 2018?

[Andie]

What I’m gathering is none of the high atmospheric smoke and gases that wreck air traffic but it could create a good deal of magma and a nice show.  

Reminds me of eruptions in the past where magma flow became a real nuisance.  But I never trust Iceland. It can really pull out the stops.  If I lived there I’d be moving out of it way.  

[Andie]

Today they’re on alert as the eruption could come any time.  They are seeing increased quakes and land deformation.  

A major concern is the flow of magma. Should it enter the ocean the smoke and ash could seriously disrupt air traffic.  

[Andie]

“The eruption is likely to be ‘effusive’ ie one that creates lava flows, similar to the eruption that occurred on La Palma last year,” said Saskia Goes, professor of geophysics at Imperial College London. “The lava would likely cover an area around the eruption site.” Some of the gases released may be quite toxic, she added.

The greatest potential for damage is in and around Grindavík, where the fissure passes below.

“This is a nightmare scenario. If the magma gets to the surface in that western part of Grindavík, parts of the town will be destroyed by lava

[roadtonowhere08]

Those fissure pictures and the rate of movement is crazy.  It's going to be a long, agonizing time for the people of Grindavík.

[Andie]

It'll be rough, but many vulcanologists are not convinced this will be the big bang eruption many are speaking of.  More likely is a series of fissures and a river of molten rock on the ground.  Different problems and inconveniences but it's a series of fissures as opposed to a cone and disruption of life and air traffic.  

So far it isn't demonstrating the big bang many are worried about.  At the very worst it may be a mini version of the Siberian Traps.  A strip of fractured ground and sheets of molten rock erupted from it.  No one is certain right now. But it won't be as big as the Traps. The earth creating new ground is really interesting though.  It's been ongoing for many millions of years.

[roadtonowhere08]

47 minutes ago, Andie said:

It'll be rough, but many vulcanologists are not convinced this will be the big bang eruption many are speaking of.  More likely is a series of fissures and a river of molten rock on the ground.  Different problems and inconveniences but it's a series of fissures as opposed to a cone and disruption of life and air traffic.  

So far it isn't demonstrating the big bang many are worried about.  At the very worst it may be a mini version of the Siberian Traps.  A strip of fractured ground and sheets of molten rock erupted from it.  No one is certain right now. But it won't be as big as the Traps. The earth creating new ground is really interesting though.  It's been ongoing for many millions of years.

Yeah I read the same.  It is a function of the land being ripped apart and magma filling the void rather than magma forcing its way up and building up pressure.  Iceland is a very unique place.  It's literally the Mid-Atlantic Ridge above sea level due to it being both a divergent boundary as well as a mantle hotspot.

[Andie]

Grindavik Volcano has erupted today following an earthquake storm   Fears had been settled after the volcano had calmed. The Blue Lagoon hot springs had reopened  now the eruption has the potential to threaten the area power plant  

"The location of the fissure poses a risk to the nearby Svartsengi Power Plant and the town of Grindavík, which was evacuated in November following heightened seismic activity," the New York Times reported." 

 

[Rubus Leucodermis]

1 hour ago, Andie said:

Grindavik Volcano has erupted today following an earthquake storm   Fears had been settled after the volcano had calmed. The Blue Lagoon hot springs had reopened  now the eruption has the potential to threaten the area power plant  

"The location of the fissure poses a risk to the nearby Svartsengi Power Plant and the town of Grindavík, which was evacuated in November following heightened seismic activity," the New York Times reported." 

 

Massive fissure, keeps lengthening. Now 4 km long. 100 to 200 cubic meters per second of lava is erupting. Much larger than previous eruptions in this cycle. Lava rivers flowing in multiple directions, one of them towards the town of Grindavik.

Grindavik is probably toast. Not looking so good for the Blue Lagoon, either.

[Rubus Leucodermis]

Quote

Volcanologist TT previously told the Grapevine the location along Sundhnúkagígar [location of newest eruption] was the worst possible place for an eruption to begin to the likelihood of infrastructure being affected should lave [sic] breach the surface there.

https://grapevine.is/news/2023/12/18/eruption-has-begun-at-sundhnukagigar/

[roadtonowhere08]

Live stream from the fissure:

Edit: Whoops, Rubus' link has this.  That link also has a video of the very start of the eruption as well.  Crazy stuff!

[Andie]

The eruption late on Monday on the Reykjanes peninsula in southwest Iceland spewed lava and smoke more than 100 metres (330 feet) into the air after weeks of intense seismic activity.

"The eruption does not present a threat to life," an Icelandic government statement said. "There are no disruptions to flights to and from Iceland and international flight corridors remain open." -Reuters

Currently, they’re cautiously optimistic the volcanos flow will not affect the the town or power station. However, it IS a large volcanic system and Iceland is a nation of fissures and volcanoes.  It sits at the northern end of the Atlantic Ridge and it isn’t known for being predictable.  

Further, the SW part of the island has the heaviest population.  Air traffic has not been affected to date   
Some great images though.

I’m adding a geological map of faults. Iceland sits on the Eurasian Plate next to the North American Plate.  
The Mid Atlantic Ridge expands northward through Iceland making it one of the planets most active areas.  The earth never stops creating new land. 
This is a mini look at the earth as it appeared in its prehistoric epochs.  

[Rubus Leucodermis]

Eruption seems to be settling down to a lower rate. Lava is no longer flowing towards Grindavik. There is a man-made lava barrier between the active portion and the Blue Lagoon, so the latter is no longer in immediate danger as well.

It is normal for these eruptions to start strong and settle down. If the activity remains confined to the currently active zone, it probably won’t threaten any infrastructure (although odds are it will still be a significantly bigger eruption than others in recent years).

[Andie]

The Icelandic Metrological Office said in a statement on Thursday that the lava flows seemed to have diminished further overnight, but that it was too early to declare the eruption over.

"Scientists flying over the volcanic areas confirm that no volcanic activity is visible, and it appears to have extinguished in the craters, but glow is still visible in the lava field," it said.

"The eruption is reduced compared to the beginning, and it's just slowly dying down," Armann Hoskuldsson, Research professor at the Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland told Reuters. "It will last for a few days more and then it's finished."

.  
Mother Nature is determined to ring in 2024 with flare!!   
 Scientists are now predicting the volcano will continue its eruptions for an undetermined period as locals are watching the path of the lava and hoping to avoid property damage.  

[Andie]

The Icelandic Metrological Office said in a statement on Thursday that the lava flows seemed to have diminished further overnight, but that it was too early to declare the eruption over.

"Scientists flying over the volcanic areas confirm that no volcanic activity is visible, and it appears to have extinguished in the craters, but glow is still visible in the lava field," it said.

"The eruption is reduced compared to the beginning, and it's just slowly dying down," Armann Hoskuldsson, Research professor at the Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland told Reuters. "It will last for a few days more and then it's finished."

[snow_wizard]

On 12/19/2023 at 5:55 AM, Andie said:

The eruption late on Monday on the Reykjanes peninsula in southwest Iceland spewed lava and smoke more than 100 metres (330 feet) into the air after weeks of intense seismic activity.

"The eruption does not present a threat to life," an Icelandic government statement said. "There are no disruptions to flights to and from Iceland and international flight corridors remain open." -Reuters

Currently, they’re cautiously optimistic the volcanos flow will not affect the the town or power station. However, it IS a large volcanic system and Iceland is a nation of fissures and volcanoes.  It sits at the northern end of the Atlantic Ridge and it isn’t known for being predictable.  

Further, the SW part of the island has the heaviest population.  Air traffic has not been affected to date   
Some great images though.

I’m adding a geological map of faults. Iceland sits on the Eurasian Plate next to the North American Plate.  
The Mid Atlantic Ridge expands northward through Iceland making it one of the planets most active areas.  The earth never stops creating new land. 
This is a mini look at the earth as it appeared in its prehistoric epochs.  

This has been a pretty incredible event.  Some of those photos were unquestionably a taste of the past when flood basalts flowed over thousands of square miles.  Scientists say huge flood basalt events are still likely to happen in the future and could cause huge problems when they occur.  It will be at least 10s of thousands of years before it happens though.

[Andie]

11 hours ago, snow_wizard said:

This has been a pretty incredible event.  Some of those photos were unquestionably a taste of the past when flood basalts flowed over thousands of square miles.  Scientists say huge flood basalt events are still likely to happen in the future and could cause huge problems when they occur.  It will be at least 10s of thousands of years before it happens though.

Isn’t that amazing?  The earth’s clock and ours are so different.  
The sheets of lava remind me of artist illustrations of the Siberian traps in antiquity.  They went on and on for lifetimes in very early earth’s history.  

Earth is still creating itself. 
It’s very much a living planet.  
Just gob-smackin’!

[Andie]

Grindavik  has erupted in southwestern Iceland for the second time in less than a month, sending semi-molten rock spewing toward a nearby settlement.

The eruption just before 8 a.m. Sunday came after a swarm of earthquakes near the town of Grindavik, the Icelandic Meteorological Office said. The community was evacuated overnight, Iceland's RUV television reported. 

“Lava is flowing a few hundred meters north of the town, this is 400 to 500 meters," Kristín Jónsdóttir from the Icelandic Meteorological Office told Iceland’s RUV television. ”Lava flows towards Grindavik.”

[Andie]

Update 

According to the Icelandic Meteorological Office(IMO), a series of intense earthquakes began around 3 a.m. local time on Sunday. By just after 6 a.m. local time, the IMO reported more than 200 earthquakes, with a magnitude 3.5 being the strongest recorded.

The volcano on the Reykjanes peninsula erupted in the early hours of Sunday, spilling lava into the fishing town. 

The eruption is proving to be "the worst case scenario" according to one expert, with the entire population of the town being evacuated.

Defences built after an eruption in December have partially contained the lava, but some have been breached.

The main road into the town has been cut off by the flow of lava.

[roadtonowhere08]

 

[Andie]

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/iceland-volcano-live-eruption-grindavik-flights-news-b2478909.html?page=4
 

Iceland’s Grindavik Volcano continues to threaten and damage the town. Homes have been lost and evacuations have occurred.   This is a worst case scenario for the peninsula.  Volcanologists will not comment on when the eruption will end. 

[Andie]

A volcano in southwestern Iceland (Grindavik) erupted for the third time since December on Thursday, sending jets of lava into the sky and triggering the evacuation of the Blue Lagoon spa, one of the island nation’s biggest tourist attractions.

The eruption began at about 1 a.m. ET along a nearly two-mile fissure northeast of Mount Sundhnukur, the Icelandic Meteorological Office said. The site is about 2½ miles northeast of Grindavik, a coastal town of 3,800 people that was evacuated before a previous eruption on Dec. 18.

[Andie]

Grindavik is experiencing an uptik in activity.  The volcano’s current magma flow has picked up and this cycle shows no indication of stopping for now.