Watch: Volcano Eruption Sparks Evacuation, Lava Flow Has Small Town Dead In Sights

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During the early hours of Wednesday, the small fishing town of Grindavik was shaken to its core by a large volcanic eruption nearby. The eruption has forced the small icelantic town to evacuate, and has also put the famous geothermal Blue Lagoon spa at risk. This is the fifth eruption in the area since December. A state of emergency has been declared. 

Iceland is a volcanic island, so this event is nothing particularly unusual for the country. Since 2021, volcano eruptions have actually been occurring at an average rate of one every twelve months. In the past, it has been more common to see them every five years. This specific eruption may come as a bit of a shock to the small town of Grindavik. The mayor has stated that the lava flow from this eruption is "much larger volume" than in years prior.

Video Credit : DrAstroGeoTech

Sources:

Volcanic eruptions in Iceland. Visit Iceland. (n.d.). https://www.visiticeland.com/eruption/#:~:text=Iceland%20is%20a%20volcanic%20island,earthquakes%20on%20the%20Reykjanes%20Peninsula. 

Mackintosh, T. (2024, May 29). Iceland volcano: Concern For Town of Grindavik after New Eruption. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c844em2ey7eo