Volcanic pollution rising as eruption continues at Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland

Volcanic activity near Grindavik has not decreased as quickly as it did in previous eruptions, IMO reported at 15:45 UTC on November 25, 2024.

“Since yesterday in the early evening [LT], volcanic tremor and visible activity from the eruption have further diminished, but the activity stabilized again after midnight. Nevertheless, the eruption remains quite powerful, and the activity has not decreased as quickly as it had in previous eruptions in the Sundhnúkur crater row. For comparison, the current lava flow is estimated to be on par with the most vigorous eruptions at Fagradalsfjall,” IMO volcanologists said.

Volcanic activity remains strong with the lava volume estimated at 43 million m³ (0.010 mi³), as of Saturday, November 23 — three days into the eruption. It covered an area of about 8.5 km² (3.28 mi²), which is around 65% of the amount produced in the last eruption which lasted 14 days.

Land continues to subside in Svartsengi, though at a slower rate compared to what was observed at the start of the eruption.

“It is still too early to determine whether magma accumulation will persist under Svartsengi. The flow of lava from eruptive vents needs to decrease further before any conclusions can be made about continued magma accumulation,” IMO said.

Today, wind directions are shifting and becoming variable, meaning volcanic pollution could spread to the surrounding areas in the southwestern part of the country.

Authorities deployed 12 water cannons, to stop the advancing lava flows, on the L3 defense wall on November 24. These were being used to cool a 360 m (1 181 feet) section of lava that threatens the Svartsengu geothermal facility and the Njarðvikuraeð hot water pipeline which are crucial for the Suðurnes region.

The initial testing of the cooling process was successful and operations have begun with 6 eastern cannons. The remaining units are scheduled to follow with the process expected to take several days.

Activity in the 3 active craters along the eruptive fissure between Stora-Skogfell and Sylingarfell remained stable on November 23. The visible activity in the central crater slowly decreased which had been the most active. This drop in activity has led to reduced lava flow toward the protective dikes at Svartsengi and Blaa Lonid.

Lava continues to thicken and put pressure on the defenses near Svartsengi despite the reduction in flow. Authorities remain cautious as historical patterns indicate that even reduced fissure activity can lead to lava breaches.

The lava destroyed the parking lot of the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa resort near Grindavik on November 21. The lava flow reached the site around 14:00 LT destroying the parking lot and a nearby service building. It was moving at a speed of 100 m (330 feet) per hour. Around 200 people were evacuated from the resort and nearby residences.

The eruption began late on November 20, 2024, when a fissure opened between Stora-Skogfell and Sylingarfell. The initial phase of the eruption featured a lava flow spreading westward crossing Grindavikurveg and reaching the Njarðvikuraeð hot water pipeline by the morning of November 21.

The Reykjanes volcanic system (located on Iceland’s southwestern peninsula) is a part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge where rifting and volcanic activity are frequent. The system comprises basaltic crater rows, small shield volcanoes, and fissure vents, with its last eruption occurring from 2023 to 2024.

The Reykjanes Peninsula is home to approximately 192 000 people within a 100 km (3 937 007 inches) radius with Grindavik and Svartsengi being critical hubs of infrastructure.

References:

¹ The Eruption Maintains Significant Power – IMO – November 25, 2024

² Reykjanes – GVP – Accessed at November 25, 2024

³ Activity Remains Stable in Three Vents Along the Eruptive Fissure – IMO – November 23, 2024

Rishika Yadav

Rishika holds a Master’s in International Studies from Stella Maris College, Chennai, India, where she earned a gold medal, and an MCA from the University of Mysore, Karnataka, India. Previously, she served as a Research Assistant at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India. During her tenure, she contributed as a Junior Writer for Europe Monitor on the Global Politics website and as an Assistant Editor for The World This Week. Her work has also been published in The Hindu newspaper, showing her expertise in global affairs. Rishika is also a recipient of the Women Empowerment Award at the district level in Haryana, India, in 2022.

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