Volcanic Eruptions Keep Forcing Icelandic Town to Evacuate

Back in November, I wrote about an Icelandic volcano that was erupting for the seventh time in 2024. Unfortunately for the residents of nearby town Grindavik, it’s happening again, as tourists and residents, what’s left of them at least, have been evacuated to safety.

The eruption kicked off early Tuesday morning as lava began spewing, with the volcanoes Fisher having grown to about 0.75 miles long, creating a volcanic landscape that looks just a bit apocalyptic. The area was also hit with a series of earthquakes throughout the day.

One of the area’s most popular tourist destinations just so happens to take full advantage of the nearby volcanic activity, relying on the local geothermal hot Springs to attract tourists. Full-on volcanic eruptions were maybe a little too much volcanic activity for the nearby hotel and resort, which was forced to close down as a precaution.

Eruption Forces Residents of Icelandic Town To Evacuate. Again.

Speaking with the BBC, Grindavik resident Asrun Kristinsdottir said she heard the emergency sirens early that morning and was preparing to leave soon after. Meanwhile, other residents would rather stay put despite the looming threat posed by the encroaching lava. Folks living in “seven or eight houses there… have decided to remain in the town,” according to police Commissioner Ulfar Ludviksson.

While some residents are staying put, they may have to contend directly with seismic activity, which is already affecting parts of the town. A hot water pipe in the north of Grindavik has been broken, thanks to the fracturing of the town’s land.

Grindavik was once home to 4,000 residents, a number that has been reduced significantly since the volcanic activity began in 2023. Thormar Omarrson owns a pizza place in town. He says that his family “was born and raised there, and now their community is gone.”

The lava corridors are now stretched to a record 11 kilometers. Gas pollution venting out from the eruption will be pushed to the Northeast by local wind conditions into nearby Reykjavík, the nation’s capital. The New York Times asked a local geophysicist named Magnus Gudmundsson if lava would reach Grindavik.

He ominously responded that “time can only tell.”