AFP Reykjavik
Reykjavik
Updated Sunday, March 17, 2024-02:31
Police in Iceland declared a state of emergency late Saturday when a new volcanic fissure on the Reykjanes Peninsula began
spewing lava, the fourth eruption since December.
The eruption was reported by the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO), which released live images of the bright flow of magma and smoke from the volcano.
The Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management announced the dispatch of a helicopter to
determine the location of the new fissure
and announced that the police declared a state of emergency due to the eruption.
According to the IMO, it occurred near the same point as a previous eruption, on February 8.
The lava appeared to flow south, where dikes were installed to protect the fishing town of
Grindavik
, he added.
The magma also flowed west, as it did on February 8, and the size of the fissure was estimated at 2.9 kilometers, the IMO said.
The agency said Friday that there was a buildup of magma in the ground "that could lead to a new magma breakout and possibly an eruption," which could occur "with very little warning."
Local media reported that the famous Blue Lagoon geothermal spa was evacuated, as was the town of Grindavik.
The nearly 4,000 inhabitants of Grindavik had been evacuated by the volcanic eruption of November 11 and were only able to return to their homes on February 19.
The eruptions on the Reykjanes Peninsula raised
fears for the Svartsengi power plant,
which supplies electricity and water to around 30,000 people in the area.
The plant was evacuated and has been operated remotely since the first eruptions in the area.
Iceland has some
33 active volcanic systems,
the largest number in Europe.