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/

I think it was smaller than a full digger, from the way it's being described. An earth compactor. Anyway the machine was found, but not him, which I don't think would have been the case if it was a digger.

Hopefully he's somehow unconscious but alive down there.

Poor sod.

eithwr way, that’s just awful. I have my fins/wings crossed for him.

Oh God that’s awful. Thoughts are with his family and friends. Hoping for a miracle.

Imagine having kids and being from Grindavik after hearing that story.

Its terrifying. Hope they find the poor bloke and he's ok.

Yes, they say it looks like a small hole from the surface, but widens the deeper down you go into a significant cavern, which explains why they can't find him. Estimated between 20 and 30 metres deep.

It's just not a safe place to be, evidently. I agree, you could never let your kids out to play could you? After knowing that this could happen.

30m? That’s like something out the Lost World. And, no, toddlers, cats, drunk people, HGVs, not suitable for any of those

Not even in your own back garden!

I know Iceland has stories about people just disappearing, thought to be due to cracks and fairies, but you don't expect it in the middle of a town.

That's awful, I hadn't realised it was still so dangerous. Poor bloke and poor family.

When you hear about something like that, it really isn't safe for anyone to be back in that town.

https://www.ruv.is/english/2024-01-11-update-no-trace-of-man-who-fell-into-grindavik-crevasse-401620

Awful that they've still not found the man despite significant searches overnight using drones and rescuers risking their lives despite ongoing earthquakes.

Notably, a decision has now been made to halt all repair work in the town due to the danger and there is now significant speculation that it will be regarded as too dangerous for people to return to Grindavik for the foreseeable future.

That is awful news.

absolutely terrifying.

I'd no idea those cracks were so deep.

It is basically two continents being pulled apart so maybe some of those cracks go down a very long way indeed. Doesn't bear thinking about it really.

We visited a lava tunnel when we went to Iceland. Apparently it had been found about 90 years ago when local sheep went missing (falling down cracks). Photos of what it looks like inside …

Víðgelmir?

I think the conditions inside this crevasse are quite different. It's not the lava tunnel, just a place where the earth has cracked open right down to the water table, formed in the recent earthquakes. I wouldn't think it would be nearly as spacious as that tunnel and more vertical than horizontal.

The search has had to be paused due to rockfall in the crevasse. I think at this point it's all but certain that it's a mission to recover this man's body, though nobody official says so.

I hope they find him and that there is evidence of injuries that mean he was dead before he even fell. For his sake and the family’s because anything else is a horrific possibility.

Well as there's water down there and conditions are very cold he would likely die of hypothermia quite quickly, and any injuries sustained. I am still hoping he turns up elsewhere but seems unlikely now. Poor guy and his family.

That's so sad.

It was the lava tunnel place near Reykjavik - just to illustrate that there are large places underground which have been well hidden. Thanks for the explanation, which is a nightmarish situation for the poor man.

iI’s such a dreadful thing to have happened. I hope his family can find some peace with it.

The search has been called off. No signs of the man were found and it was decided that it wasn't worth the risk to continue, too dangerous for the people going down in very challenging conditions.

What an absolute nightmare for his family. So awful.

https://www.facebook.com/100066729337115/posts/723272916573680/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v

The SAR team in Grindavík has published this statement and included some photos of the conditions in the crevasse, which was about 40 m deep. Looks really tough so it's clear they really did all they could.

That's so sad. It makes you realise that there are dangers connected to seismic activity that you'd never imagine.

That is so so very sad. How awful for his family. Of course they would do all they can but can’t risk losing the whole team as well as this casualty. Just dreadful though.

The town is surely uninhabitable now? That just looks horrific.

https://www.ruv.is/english/2024-01-13-grindavik-to-be-evacuated-again-401837

Ban on staying in Grindavik and all activities there to come in 7pm Monday and they are advising not to stay/go in the meantime if possible. This is currently planned to last three weeks.

The latest risk assessment shows that the risk of further cracks opening in the town is higher than previously. The amount of magma at Svartsengi is the same as it was when an eruption took place on December 18. It is possible though that this swarm will reach further south, or even all the way to Grindavík.

In the Grindavík and immediate area, there is a probability of earthquakes, fissures and lava flow.

It has become apparent that in the last few days, less is known about cracks under Grindavík and the dangers associated with them, says Minister of Justice Guðrún Hafsteinsdóttir.