Iceland - possible eruption due near the Blue Lagoon

[KenAdams]

Is anyone following this?

https://icelandmonitor.mbl.is/news/news/2023/11/03/coming_close_to_an_eruption/

The main concern is the power plant next to the lagoon.

There are constant mini eruptions happening too - https://vafri.is/quake/

Thanks for the explanation. I remember the disruption that caused and assumed it must be something relatively unusual because you don't hear of it every time there is a volcano.

Smaller versions of the Eyjafjallajökull type eruption aren't that unusual and as a result there's a whole organisation set up to provide world wide overwatch for aviation purposes.

Warnings get issued so flight routes can be planned to avoid at risk areas and the enroute significant weather charts issued to crews have the locations of significant eruptions plotted on them.

FWIW it's not just engines that can get screwed up if you accidently fly into the dust - all the forward facing surfaces (of which probably the most important is the windscreens) can be end severely abraded to the point that transparencies can become opaque....

https://vaac.meteo.fr/

I’m sorry to hear this and hope everyone is ok over there. We went earlier this year. Will grindavik town now start to evacuate?

I liked the blue lagoon for its weirdness - and also loved the more natural lakes and pools we went in

blue lagoon brings valuable visitors and income so I hope it’s ok

No official evacuation has started but some people have left to stay in the capital. I don't know how many. One scientist was in the news today saying that people should be sleeping elsewhere at least but others say there'll be plenty of warning and nothing much to worry about. I wouldn't know what to think and am very happy to be in the capital.

If nothing else it's not fun to be woken up multiple times a night, as most people here probably know from experience!

Another huge swarm of earthquakes this morning, including one of 4.3 magnitude within the last couple of hours.

Following - I was there 5 days ago!

Yeah I felt that one round lunch time! Made my computer screen wobble.

Gosh this is a worry for the people in the danger zone. We were in Iceland in January and loved it there - also having a magical evening at the blue lagoon.

@Puffinshop great username! When we were in Reykavik last week, we looked out for our accommodatio by looking for the big light up puffin sign on the "puffin shop" it was above.

Hope all is well.

One if the roads into Grindavík is severely damaged by the earthquakes just now. See pic on this article.

There have been a lot of quakes this evening. Apparently it makes it more likely that this will end with eruption but it's not thought to be imminent. I think I'd be getting out of there though :/

https://www.visir.is/g/20232487495d/al-manna-varnir-komnar-a-haettu-stig

That's the road that goes past the Blue Lagoon. There are 2 other roads out of Grindavík though.

Whereabouts are you @Puffinshop ?

I see there's been another massive increase in earthquakes this afternoon, quite a few biggish ones too.

I'm in Seltjarnarnes, just to the west of Reykjavík, so all safe here.

If you have friends and family on the peninsula I hope they are safe too, and everyone else in the area as well. It must be really scary for those close by, especially now one of the roads out of Grindavik is blocked.

I know people in Vogar, I think they are just tired of the earthquakes.

Don't know anyone in Grindavík but I hope they are all fine as well. A lot more people are leaving town now apparently, even though the authorities don't think that there is any need to evacuate at this point.

I’ve just seen a police announcement which said that there is now magma pushing to the surface, but they don’t think the flow will be towards Grindavík. And defences of some sort are being build around the Blue Lagoon and power station. (Still not sure I’d want to hang around though.)

Yes I think it's going to happen soon. Keep an eye on the webcams.

I'll be astonished if they manage to build any realistic kind of defences in the time available or at all, but I'm willing to be astonished.

I've been keeping an eye on this. Fascinating to watch from a distance but it must feel frightening for those living close by, even with warning and reassurance. I hope everyone stays safe.

It's very interesting to watch from afar.

They are evacuating Grindavík now. Apparently they cannot rule out the possibility that lava could be flowing beneath the town (though the most likely scenario is still that the town will be fine besides some earthquake damage).

Came on to post the same @Puffinshop

You helped me so much before my visit there btw - it was so useful so thank you!

Sorry I haven't posted since I started, I've been following this elsewhere.

They have detected mercury close to the surface so they are just being extra cautious.

The wall bemused me too!

What is the live feed of above? Is that the cracked road? And it’s now live and flowing?

The cracked road looks scary - when do they think this will all be over?

Yes, I’m not sure what kind of defences would work to hold back molten lava - but I guess they have to try. If Svartsengi goes out of service, that means no heating for the Reykjanes peninsula doesn’t it - which would obviously be terrible.

We flew home last Friday and my son had his GCSE Maths on Tuesday. He is very angry that I took him do close to exams if we might not have been able to get home so I'm pleased to read there wasn't such a risk of ash this time.

I have been following the story closely. We actually went to see the previous lava sites on the way to the airport on Friday and it was amazing to be there, but I can only imagine how unnerving it must be now for local people. I hope everyone will be safe.