Iceland Suffers 11th Volcanic Eruption Since 2021

Published by

Emmanuel Eze

Iceland has suffered its 11th volcanic eruption since 2021 when its volcanoes first came alive after lying dormant for 800 years.

The latest eruption began on Tuesday morning to the south of Iceland’s capital of Reykjavik and was seen on video spewing lava and smoke with tourists and residents having to be evacuated from the area. The fissure of the volcanic eruption soon broke through protective barriers around the town of Grindavik, and reached 1,200 meters, or nearly 4,000 feet, in length.

Iceland’s Recent History With Volcanic Eruptions

Iceland is referred to as a land of ice and fire for its many glaciers and volcanoes, the North Atlantic island nation has now seen 11 eruptions south of Reykjavik since 2021, when dormant geological systems reactivated after some 800 years with eruptions occurring in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 near Fagradalsfjall.

This came after the Eyjafjallajökull eruption in 2010 became one of the most infamous recent volcanic events, primarily due to the massive disruption it caused to European air travel. Although it was not particularly large, its ash plume spread widely, leading to extensive flight cancellations.

The following year, Grímsvötn erupted in 2011, producing a powerful ash plume that reached 20 km into the atmosphere. However, its impact was shorter-lived compared to Eyjafjallajökull. In 2014-2015, the Holuhraun fissure eruption, part of the Bárðarbunga volcanic system, created the largest lava field in Iceland since the devastating Laki eruption of 1783.

These eruptions have primarily been lava-producing, causing minimal destruction but attracting significant scientific interest due to their implications for Iceland’s volcanic activity.

The latest eruptions saw flames and smoke shoot through the air as the volcanic fissure opened near the town of Grindavik, where some 40 homes have been evacuated, national broadcaster RUV reported. The community, located on the Reykjanes Peninsula, was largely evacuated a year ago when the volcano came to life after lying dormant for 800 years. Officials said as a result of the latest eruption, winds could carry volcanic gas over the capital region, but so far ash hasn’t disrupted air travel.

Blue Lagoon Spa evacuated.

Iceland is home to nearly 400,000 people and attracts thousands of tourists every year who come to explore its rugged nature, including geysers, hot springs, and volcanoes.

One such tourist destination is the Blue Lagoon, a luxury geothermal spa in Svartsengi in the southwest of Iceland, which was evacuated ahead of the eruption on Tuesday morning. The spa has said it would reassess conditions as there are protective barriers “safeguarding Blue Lagoon’s vital infrastructure against potential lava flows,”.

Emmanuel Eze

Emmanuel Eze is an early career journalist with an interest in reporting economic and business related issues