Iceland volcanic eruption triggers state of emergency
Southern Iceland has experienced a fourth volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes Peninsula since December 2023
The latest of Iceland’s eruptions began on the evening of 16 March, with lava reaching the eastern edge of the mostly evacuated fishing town of Grindavik.
The Icelandic Met Office (IMO) reported: “The eruption began at 20:23 UTC on 16 March, with a 2.9km-long fissure forming quickly. The length and location of the fissure is similar to the eruption on 8 February 2024.”
The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) updated its advice to travellers, noting: “Recently there have been a series of volcanic eruptions on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwest Iceland … The capital city, Reykjavik, and the rest of Iceland has not been impacted by these eruptions. It is likely there will be further eruptions in this location. You should monitor local media for updates and follow the authorities’ advice on travel to the area.”
The location is around 10 miles southwest of Keflavik airport, a major North Atlantic aviation hub. Flights are continuing to arrive and depart as normal.
The FCDO advises travellers to check the following resources for updates:
The IMO said the lava was travelling at a speed of 1km per hour over the weekend and in its latest update it noted that this has “slowed substantially”. However, it added: “The eruption has not ended, and lava continues to be extruded from a 0.5km-long fissure.”
The IMO also pointed out that the lava was 200m (650ft) from the region’s water pipe. The distribution pipe is close to the Svartsengi power plant, a geothermal plant that provides hot water for most of the Reykjanes Peninsula.
Further, the Norwegian Meteorological Institute warned there could be “dangerous” consequences if the lava reaches the sea. Kristin Jonsdottir, head of the Institute’s volcanoes department, was quoted by the Icelandic public broadcaster (RÚV) as saying: “If lava, which is alkaline, comes into contact with sea water, chlorine fumes can be produced.” She also warned that “minor explosions” could occur if the lava becomes unstable as it interacts with seawater.
The ITIJ team recently spoke with LifeFlight about the challenges of repatriation after the devastating volcano eruption in New Zealand in 2019.