Evacuated residents from the Icelandic town of Grindavik were granted a five-minute window to return home amidst concerns of an imminent volcanic eruption nearby, the Independent reported.
Over the weekend, nearly 4,000 individuals were evacuated due to concerns about molten rock surfacing and posing a threat to a coastal town and a geothermal power station.
Pictures captured queues of vehicles on the road to the town on Monday, showing locals attempting to rush back home to gather their valuables and care for their pets.
Authorities warn the eruption could potentially devastate the entire town of Grindavik
The Icelandic Meteorological Office highlighted on Monday the “significant likelihood” of an imminent eruption in the upcoming days, located on or near the Reykjanes peninsula close to the capital, Reykjavik.
According to the authorities, the eruption could potentially devastate the entire town of Grindavik. This anticipation persisted even as the size and intensity of earthquakes showed a decrease.
The Icelandic Meteorological Office reported over 2,000 earthquakes within just 48 hours, with around 1,000 occurring in a mere 12-hour span on Sunday. This surge in seismic activity follows more than 20,000 quakes that have rattled the area since late October, as outlined by officials, according to ABC News.
JUST IN – Video shows massive crack emanating steam in the center of Grindavik town of Iceland as the Island nation braces for a potential volcanic eruption pic.twitter.com/C6pK2NkGmW
— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) November 13, 2023
Grindavik residents describe quaking grounds and structural damage
Residents of the town of Grindavik found themselves evacuated from their homes in the early hours of Saturday. They described the ground shaking, roads cracking, and buildings sustaining structural damage.
Hans Vera, a 56-year-old originally from Belgium who has resided in Iceland since 1999, mentioned a continuous trembling felt within his family’s house.
“You would never be steady, it was always shaking, so there was no way to get sleep,” said Vera, who is now staying at his sister-in-law’s home in a Reykjavik suburb.
“We have this tremendous uncertainty now; will there be an eruption and if so, what sort of damage will occur,” said Matthew James Roberts, director of the service and research division at the Icelandic Meteorological Office.
“It’s not only the people in Grindavik who are shocked about this situation it’s the whole of Iceland,” he said.
The majority of the town’s 3,800 residents managed to secure lodging with family or friends. According to a rescue official, only between 50 and 70 individuals were utilizing evacuation centers.
A few evacuees were granted temporary access to the town on Sunday to retrieve essential items like documents, medications, or pets. However, they weren’t permitted to drive on their own.
“You have to park your car five kilometres from town and there’s 20 cars, huge cars from the rescue team, 20 policemen, all blinking lights, it’s just unreal, it’s like a war zone or something, it’s really strange,” Vera said.
Iceland stands as a seismic and ‘volcanic hub’
On Monday, authorities reported around 900 earthquakes hitting southern Iceland, adding to the series of tremors that have been rattling the region in recent weeks, Reuters reported.
Located between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates, Iceland stands as a seismic and volcanic hub, experiencing movement as these plates diverge.
During March 2021, the Fagradalsfjall volcanic system witnessed a striking eruption, with lava fountains bursting from a fissure in the ground stretching between 500 to 750 meters.
This volcanic activity persisted for six months, drawing the attention of thousands of Icelanders and tourists who flocked to witness the spectacle. Subsequently, in August 2022, a three-week eruption occurred in the same area, followed by another eruption in July of the current year.
