Iceland volcano - live: Met Office warns magma ‘very close’ to surface as people ‘wait in suspense’

Magma may have reached very high up in the earth’s crust, according to Iceland’s meteorological office which says people will have to “wait in suspense for the next few days” to see how events play out.

“While there is still magma flow into the corridor, and while our data and models show that, that probability is imminent, and we really just have to wait in suspense for the next few days to see what happens,” Kristín Jónsdóttir, head of department at the Icelandic Meteorological Office, said.

She said the decreasing earthquake activity over the last 24 hours could be a sign that magma has reached very high up in the earth’s crust, adding that the scenario is not unlike what was seen prior to a previous eruption in 2021.

The Met Office said magmatic gas has been detected at a borehole in Svartsengi, signalling an imminent eruption of the Fagradalsfjall volcano over the coming days, with the town of Grindavik most at risk.

“Hagafell is thought to be a prime location for an eruption,” the forecaster said.

An eruption is now feared by many experts to be a case of when, not if.

“I do think an eruption will take place, but the big question is when that might happen,” Dr Margaret Hartley, of the University of Manchester, told Live Science.

Key Points

• Eruption could be like ‘can of fizzy drink’ exploding

• Defence walls built around power plant

• Fears over flights in and out of Iceland

• Eruption fears as magma spreads underground and cracks appear in roads

• Where is Grindavik?

Magma 'very close' to surface, Met Office says

04:00 , Vishwam Sankaran

The magma intrusion continues to deepen and widen, indicating it has reached high up in the earth’s crust, according to Kristín Jónsdóttir, the head of the volcanic activity department at the Icelandic Met Office.

“While model calculations still indicate that magma flows into the intrusion, it must be considered probable that an eruption will occur,” the seismologist said, according to local news.

The greatest widening is in an area west of Hagafell, which is the most likely place for an eruption, according to the Met Office.

Volcanic eruption could ‘bury’ evacuated town, says geologist

15:32 , Andy Gregory

If there is a volcanic eruption, it could bury the town of Grindavik, an Icelandic geologist has said.

Ari Trausti Gudmundsson told CNN: “People are now waiting with anxiety [to see] what is going to happen to the town. If the eruption really occurs, it could spare the town to a large extent. It could also, the lava flow, simply bury the town.

Barriers are being built to try and divert potential lava away from a nearby geothermal power plant and the Blue Lagoon. “Not barriers to prevent the lava, but barriers to redirect the lava – because you really cannot stop a lava flow.”

Analysis | Could an Icelandic volcano ground flights like in 2010?

13:08 , Andy Gregory

Our travel correspondent Simon Calder takes questions from readers on whether their upcoming flights could be in jeopardy:

Could an Icelandic volcano ground flights like in 2010?

Biggest volcanic eruptions in the last 10 years

12:13 , Andy Gregory

Iceland is highly susceptible to natural disasters because it lies on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge – a divergent plate boundary where the North American Plate and the Eurasian Plate are moving away from each other, leading to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.

Three eruptions have taken place on the peninsula of Reykjanes near the Fagradalsfjall volcano in the last three years: in March 2021, August 2022 and July 2023.

However, previous eruptions did not cause damage, having occurred in remote valleys.

As Iceland waits in trepidation for the looming volcanic eruption, my colleague Maryam Zakir-Hussain takes a look at some of the biggest volcanic eruptions in the last decade:

Biggest volcanic eruptions in the last 10 years as Iceland town faces devastation

Hundreds of earthquakes recorded near Kysuvik since midnight

10:25 , Andy Gregory

A magnitude 3.7 earthquake was felt at Krysuvik just after 5:30am this morning, local media reports, marking the largest seismic event in the area since Friday morning.

More than 400 earthquakes have been recorded there since midnight, according to Iceland’s national broadcaster RUV, but the activity is thought to be a sign of tension in the crust releasing – rather than an indication the magma is moving at that location.

Video report: Iceland volcano eruption warning forces residents in Grindavik to evacuate

09:07 , Andy Gregory

Residents of a fishing town in south-western Iceland have left their homes after fears of a volcanic eruption caused civil defence authorities to declare a state of emergency in the region. Find out more in this video report:

Seismic activity 'slightly less' than before midnight, officials say

08:30 , Vishwam Sankaran

While more than 300 earthquakes have been recorded since midnight, officials say this is still less activity than last night.

The biggest earthquake since midnight measured 2.8 in the mountainous region of Hagafell, north east of Grindavík, according to the Icelandic Met Office.

Magma is likely moving closer to the surface as less seismic activity may be a sign of less resistance in the earth’s crust, Ríkey Júlíusdóttir, a geologist at the Met Office, said.

“The magma is probably quite shallow, and maybe it doesn’t take much conflict for it to erupt,” seismologist Kristín Jónsdóttir said.

Iceland volcano eruption warning forces residents in Grindavik to evacuate

08:00 , Vishwam Sankaran

Iceland volcano eruption warning forces residents in Grindavik to evacuate

It may be long time before residents can move back, officials say

07:30 , Vishwam Sankaran

It could be a long time before it is safe to move back into Grindavík due to damages to houses and pipes, Víðir Reynisson, director of the civil defense department, said yesterday.

“This plus uncertainty about earthquakes means that Grindvíkings have to prepare to live elsewhere in the coming months,” Mr Reynisson said.

A rescue worker told local news that at least about twenty houses in the town are badly damaged and need a lot of repairs.

More than 1,200 families in the town need to be given a shelter, Grindavík mayor Fannar Jónasson said, adding that “it will take days and weeks to resolve issues so that everyone can enjoy themselves.”

Is it safe to travel to Iceland? Your rights if you have a holiday booked

07:00 , Holly Evans

The earth is at its most restless in Iceland right now. The Reykjanes peninsula, southwest of Reykjavik, is seething with seismic activity sparking hundreds of small earthquakes.

The town of Grindavík, just 10 miles south of Keflavik International Airport, has been evacuated as a precaution.

Yet flights are continuing to arrive and depart as normal. These are the key questions and answers on consumer rights.

Read the full article here

Is it safe to travel to Iceland? Your rights if you have a holiday booked

Costs for housing measures will be significant, Iceland PM says

06:30 , Vishwam Sankaran

The government’s costs for new housing for Grindvíking residents will be significant, says Iceland prime minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir.

With 600 housing requests still outstanding, the prime minister told local news that the government would first “work with what is available,” but also needs to consider building new housing.

“There, we have also been looking at things that can possibly be done faster, such as modular houses that do meet all quality requirements, which could then be built relatively quickly to respond to this situation,” Ms Jakobsdóttir said.

“The authorities have been in conversation with the financial companies about going further, as these are completely unique circumstances,” she added.

Biggest volcanic eruptions in the last 10 years as Iceland town faces devastation

06:00 , Holly Evans

Iceland’s town of Grindavik faces a catastrophic countdown to a volcanic eruption that could see its destruction, experts have warned.

Almost 4,000 people were evacuated from Grindavik over the weekend as authorities feared that molten rock would rise to the surface of the earth and potentially hit the coastal town and a geothermal power station.

It comes as the country has been shaken by more than 880 small earthquakes, prompting fears that the tremors could disrupt the Fagradalsfjall volcano on the Reykjanes peninsula in the southwest of the country.

Read the full article here

Biggest volcanic eruptions in the last 10 years as Iceland town faces devastation

'Design for defence wall to protect Grindavík ready'

05:30 , Vishwam Sankaran

The design for a wall to protect Grindavík from lava flow is ready and its construction can be started quickly should situation arise, Víðir Reynisson, the director of civil defense, said yesterday.

“The position of a dike has been marked based on this scenario that lava would start to flow from this place, which is considered the most likely at the moment,” Mr Reynisson said.

“No construction has been started, but we are waiting for a more detailed risk assessment and the probability that this could actually happen,” he added.

The director of civil dense said teams are prepared to “grab all the equipment that is there” and go into emergency operations to “slow down or divert the lava near Grindavík.”

Sequence of events similar to 2021 eruption, Met Office says

05:00 , Vishwam Sankaran

The current sequence of events in Grindvíking is similar to the one that happened on the eve of the volcanic eruption in Geldingadálar in 2021, says Icelandic Meteorological Office head of department Kristín Jónsdóttir.

“That’s when we saw a very large reduction in deformation and seismicity, and then there was an eruption,” she told local news.

“The magma is probably quite shallow, and maybe it doesn’t take much conflict for it to erupt,” the seismologist said, adding that “we really just have to wait in suspense for the next few days to see what happens.”

There is still a “high probability of a volcanic eruption,” according to the Met Office.

Iceland volcano could erupt like a ‘can of fizzy drink’

04:30 , Vishwam Sankaran

A volcano close to erupting in Iceland could explode like a “can of fizzy drink,” an expert has said.

Iceland’s Met Office has said magmatic gas has been detected at a borehole in Svartsengi, signalling an imminent eruption of the Fagradalsfjall volcano over the coming days, with the town of Grindavik most at risk.

The small fishing town has already been evacuated following thousands of mini earthquakes across the Reykjanes peninsula, southwest Iceland, over the past week.

Read the full story here

Iceland volcano could erupt like a ‘can of fizzy drink’

Iceland volcano eruption warning forces residents in Grindavik to evacuate

03:30 , Vishwam Sankaran

Iceland volcano eruption warning forces residents in Grindavik to evacuate

Could an Icelandic volcano ground flights like in 2010?

03:00 , Holly Evans

As I write, the Reykjanes peninsula, southwest of Reykjavik, is seething with seismic activity. Grindavik, a town of nearly 4,000 inhabitants, was evacuated on Saturday as experts assess the threat of a volcanic eruption. Iceland’s main international airport, Keflavik, is just 10 miles north of the town. Yet flights are operating normally, which some may find surprising.

Read the full article from Simon Calder here

Could an Icelandic volcano ground flights like in 2010?

Where is Grindavik?

02:00 , Holly Evans

Grindavik, a town of 3,400, sits on the Reykjanes Peninsula, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) southwest of the capital, Reykjavik and not far from Keflavik Airport, Iceland’s main facility for international flights.

The nearby Blue Lagoon geothermal resort, one of Iceland’s top tourist attractions, has been shut at least until the end of November because of the volcano danger. Grindavik residents are being allowed to return for five minutes each to rescue valuable possessions and pets.

A volcanic system on the Reykjanes Peninsula has erupted three times since 2021, after being dormant for 800 years. Previous eruptions occurred in remote valleys without causing damage.

Iceland sits above a volcanic hot spot in the North Atlantic and averages an eruption every four to five years. The most disruptive in recent times was the 2010 eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano, which spewed huge clouds of ash into the atmosphere and grounded flights across Europe for days because of fears ash could damage airplane engines.

‘Significant likelihood’ eruption will occur somewhere along magma tunnel

01:00 , Holly Evans

People in southwest Iceland remained on edge Saturday, waiting to see whether a volcano rumbling under the Reykjanes Peninsula will erupt.

Civil protection authorities said that even if it doesn’t, it’s likely to be months before it is safe for residents evacuated from the danger zone to go home. The fishing town of Grindavik was evacuated a week ago as magma - semi-molten rock - rumbled and snaked under the earth amid thousands of tremors.

It has left a jagged crack running through the community, thrusting the ground upward by 1 meter (3 feet) or more in places. The Icelandic Meteorological Office said there is a “significant likelihood” that an eruption will occur somewhere along the 15-kilometer (9-mile) magma tunnel, with the “prime location” an area north of Grindavik near the Hagafell mountain.

‘It’s like a dystopian movie’: Iceland residents describe ‘apocalyptic’ scenes as they flee volcano threat

00:01 , Athena Stavrou

Residents from a small Icelandic town under threat from volcanic eruption have described ‘apocalyptic’ existence as they fear for their future.

Last Friday, thousands of Grindavik residents were ordered to leave as the town was rocked by hundreds of earthquakes. The small fishing town is 34 miles from Reykjavík and is home to the famous tourist attraction the Blue Lagoon.

Many have been unable to return to the ‘danger zone’ to collect their belongings, as earthquakes continue to strike the town.

Iceland residents describe ‘apocalyptic’ scenes as they flee volcano threat

Iceland’s famous Blue Lagoon to remain shut till 30 November

Saturday 18 November 2023 23:00 , Athena Stavrou

Iceland’s famous Blue Lagoon spa will remain shut till 30 November amid fears of an imminent volcanic eruption.

The geothermal spa southwest of Reykjavik, which is one of the island’s most popular tourist destinations, was closed on 9 November following a series of earthquakes that hit the region.

“Considering disruptions to our guests’ experience and the sustained pressure on our employees, these precautionary measures were taken to ensure safety and wellbeing for all,” it said in a statement.

“The closure will remain in effect until 7am on November 30, at which point the situation will be reassessed,” it added.

Iceland faces ‘decades’ of instability, experts warn

Saturday 18 November 2023 22:00 , Athena Stavrou

Iceland’s south-western peninsula could face decades of volcanic instability, the Icelandic Met Office warned.

“We expect to see volcanic eruptions along the peninsula, not just repeatedly in the same location. This instability could last decades,” the Icelandic Met Office’s Matthew Roberts told the BBC on Thursday

It comes as almost 4,000 people were evacuated from Grindavik over the weekend as authorities feared that molten rock would rise to the surface of the earth.

Pictures: Iceland battered by wave of seismic activity

Saturday 18 November 2023 21:00 , Athena Stavrou

Iceland earthquakes: Are flights still running amid fears of volcano eruption?

Saturday 18 November 2023 20:00 , Athena Stavrou

Iceland has declared a state of emergency after hundreds of earthquakes struck the southwestern Reykjanes peninsula in the past 48 hours.

Despite fears of an impending volcanic eruption, flights from the UK to Keflavik international airport 10 miles north of the eruption site are going ahead as usual.

On Sunday 12 November, all scheduled flights from Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Stansted and Manchester landed without incident.

Iceland earthquakes: Are flights still running amid fears over volcano eruption?

Could an Icelandic volcano ground flights like in 2010?

Saturday 18 November 2023 19:00 , Athena Stavrou

Simon Calder answers your questions on aviation, the land of ice and fire, and birthday in Albania.

Could an Icelandic volcano ground flights like in 2010?

Grindavik couple fear losing their home after evacuating: ‘It’s a pretty grim situation’

Saturday 18 November 2023 18:00 , Athena Stavrou

A man who evacuated from a town in Iceland after earthquakes put the region on alert for a volcanic eruption said he fears he might never see his home again.

Caitlin McLean, from Scotland, was visiting her boyfriend, Gisli Gunnarsson, in Grindavik when they were forced to flee his home at midnight on Friday, packing only a few essential items, to stay with Mr Gunnarsson’s mother in Reykjavik.

Police evacuated Grindavik after seismic activity in the area moved south towards the town, with a corridor of magma, or semi-molten rock, now thought to be extending under the community, Iceland’s Meteorological Office said.

Today, authorities warned residents that it may be months before they are allowed back into their homes.

1,700 earthquakes in last 24 hours

Saturday 18 November 2023 17:04 , Athena Stavrou

There have been 1,700 earthquakes in Iceland in the last 24 hours, according to the Met Office.

1,000 of them have been recorded since midnight and the largest earthquake in those 24 hours had a magnitude of 2.8 and occurred near Hagafell, 3.5 km NNE of Grindavík.

Seismic activity remains “high and constant” and the Icelandic Met Office have named Hagafell as the likely site of an eruption - which is still a high likelihood of happening.

Recap: Iceland volcano eruption warning forces residents to evacuate

Saturday 18 November 2023 15:38 , Athena Stavrou

Residents of a fishing town in south-western Iceland have left their homes after fears of a volcanic eruption caused civil defence authorities to declare a state of emergency in the region.

Police decided to evacuate Grindavik after recent seismic activity in the area moved south towards the town and monitoring indicated that a corridor of magma, or semi-molten rock, now extends under the community, Iceland’s meteorological office said.

Today, authorities said it may be months before residents can return to their homes - even if an eruption doesn’t occur.

Iceland volcano eruption warning forces residents in Grindavik to evacuate

Volcano expert says eruption won’t be as large as originally feared

Saturday 18 November 2023 15:00 , Athena Stavrou

While it is still highly likely that the volcano near Grindavik in Iceland will erupt, Volcano enthusiast Ragga Agustsdottir, said the eruption won’t be as large as originally feared.

“Initially there was fear there might be a relatively large eruption but since then it’s been showing it may be a smaller event. Possibly even as small as the ones that we’ve seen over the past three years,” she told Sky News.

She added that the danger zone has been limited to the town of Grindavik - which was evacuated last Saturday - but the extent of the damage is not yet known.

“Essentially the magma intrusion is beneath that particular town. We are wondering if the town will be damaged by lava but we will just have to wait and see,” she said.

Watch: Aerial view of Grindavik

Saturday 18 November 2023 14:00 , Athena Stavrou

The Icelandic town of Grindavik was evacuated one week ago following thousands of earthquakes and a volcanic eruption threat.

Now, an aerial video shows huge cracks in the town as it’s devastated by natural disasters.

Saturday 18 November 2023 13:28 , Athena Stavrou

More than 1200 families evacuated families need more permanent housing as the return to Grindavik seems unlikely.

At a Civil Defense briefing today, mayor of Grindavik Fannar Jónasson said that it will take “days and weeks” to resolve issues.

He said housing issues are the main concern as many families from the town need more permanent shelter.

“I think the nation has done very well, considering the response and the aid we have received,” he said. “A lot has happened in this one week. I know that there is a lot of impatience and a call from the residents to go faster, but everyone is doing their best and it will take days and weeks to resolve issues.”

Eruption still likely as magma travels close to the surface

Saturday 18 November 2023 13:23 , Athena Stavrou

An eruption is still considered to be likely as magma travels close to the surface, despite fewer earthquakes taking place.

At a Civil Defense briefing today the head of the volcanic activity department at the Icelandic Met Office said the situation is similar to what it has been in recent days.

Kristín Jónsdóttir noted that while the magma intrusion is still deepening and widening, it is doing so at a slower rate.

She said that a decrease in seismic activity indicates that magma has reached very high up in the earth’s crust and does not now need much for it to reach the surface.

The Icelandic Met Office official also reiterated that the most likely place for an eruption is the area west of Hagafell.

Grindavik residents may not be able to return ‘for months'

Saturday 18 November 2023 13:16 , Athena Stavrou

Residents of the evacuated town of Grindavik have been warned that they may not be able to return to their homes for months.

At a Civil Defense briefing today, director Víðir Reynisson said there is significant damage to houses and pipes in the area.

He said: “This plus uncertainty about earthquakes means that residents have to prepare to live elsewhere in the coming months.”

Locals have been permitted to briefly enter their homes this week to collect their valuables and pets.

Ground deformation continues

Saturday 18 November 2023 12:06 , Athena Stavrou

Ground deformation and the movement of magma has continued near the anticipated site of eruption.

The Icelandic Met Office said GPS data showed 3-4cm of subsidence per day in and around the evacuated town of Grindavik.

They also said that ground deformation in the area has continued but at a decreasing rate.

The largest movements have occurred north of Grindavik, near Hagafell, which is where an eruption is most likely yo take place.

Residents briefly return to Grindavik one week after it was first evacuated

Saturday 18 November 2023 11:26 , Athena Stavrou

Some residents of the evacuated town of Grindavik have been allowed to return home to collect valuables and tend to pets today.

Locals have been allowed to enter the town in small numbers for a short amount of time every day since Monday, after the town was first evacuated on Saturday.

Throughout the week, queues of cars were pictured on the road leading to the town, which has been ‘split in two’ by thousands of earthquakes in recent weeks.

Pictures: Town split in two after being hit by thousands of earthquakes

Saturday 18 November 2023 10:43 , Athena Stavrou

Civil Defence meeting to be held

Saturday 18 November 2023 09:38 , Athena Stavrou

Iceland’s Civil Defence will hold an information session at 1pm today.

The meeting will be held at a rescue centre near the evacuated area and will give local residents the opportunity to ask questions.

Attendees will include the prime minister of Iceland and Icelandic Met Office officials.

No eruption as of Saturday morning

Saturday 18 November 2023 09:11 , Athena Stavrou

No eruption has taken place as of Saturday morning, but as earthquakes continue the chance of one is still likely.

Over 340 earthquakes have been recorded in the area since midnight, according to a specialist in the Icelandic Meteorological Office.

Seismic activity decreased around 9pm last night but has since returned to the same level it had been.

Telecom companies coordinate to keep systems working

Saturday 18 November 2023 08:00 , Vishwam Sankaran

The staff of telecom companies are working together with the Iceland national “emergency line” to keep communications systems working in order, according to local news.

They are also reportedly coordinating to upgrade the systems to ensure they can withstand the stress of increased seismic activity in the region.

“All the telecommunications companies are cooperating. There is extremely good cooperation going on in all operations and it has been for the past week,” telecom company Mila’s technical director Daði Sigurðarson said.

Volunteers race to rescue pets as eruption imminent in 'coming days'

Saturday 18 November 2023 07:30 , Vishwam Sankaran

Volunteers have rescued hundreds of animals from Grindavik over the week as Iceland’s meteorological department officials warn that volcanic eruption is imminent in the “coming days.”

The organisation noted that over the last week, it has rescued a number of animals from the quake-rattled town, including cats, hamsters, pigeons, sheep, frogs, hamsters, and shrimp.

“The owners and people in Grindavík have been very involved in getting the animals out with excellent results,” Dýrfinna og Hundasveitin, an association that helps lost animals, posted on X.

“The actions of the last few days have been characterized by a great struggle for the animals who do not have a voice and their owners,” it said.

Could an Icelandic volcano ground flights like in 2010?

Saturday 18 November 2023 07:00 , Matt Mathers

Simon Calder answers your questions on aviation, the land of ice and fire, and birthday in Albania:

Could an Icelandic volcano ground flights like in 2010?

Where is Grindavik?

Saturday 18 November 2023 06:30 , Matt Mathers

Pinned post: Officials reveal most likely location for volcanic eruption

Saturday 18 November 2023 03:40 , Athena Stavrou

The most likely site for volcanic eruption in Iceland is near the mountainous region of Hagafell, according to the Icelandic meteorological office.

Latest models based on GPS data and satellite imagery suggest the largest magma intrusion movements are occurring north of Grindavík, near Hagafell, the Met Office said.

“If magma manages to reach the surface, Hagafell is thought to be a prime location for an eruption,” it said, adding that seismicity related to the magma intrusion remains constant.

About 2,000 mini quakes have been recorded in the last 24 hours the largest of which occurred near Hagefell and had a magnitude of 3.0.

Most of the earthquake activity is still being recorded in an area north of Hagafel, the Met Office noted.

Pinned post: Thousands of quakes recorded in single day

Saturday 18 November 2023 03:12 , Athena Stavrou

Over 2,000 quakes have been recorded in Iceland with continued land deformation on Friday, according to the country’s meteorological office.

The most likely scenario, according to the Iceland Met Office volcanism head Kristín Jónsdóttir, is eruption beginning in the “next few days.”

Experts say the eruption site is likely NE of Grindavík where ground deformation is happening more acutely, but it is still not entirely sure when and where it may happen, according to the Met Office.