Volcano lava flows into Icelandic village, engulfing homes
Provided by AFP.
The ongoing volcanic eruption in southwest Iceland reached the port of Grindavik, where a house caught fire after being hit by lava, as can be seen in eruption surveillance footage broadcast by public television.
Lava flowing from a volcano that erupted on Sunday near the Icelandic fishing port of Grindavik has engulfed at least three homes just hours after villagers were evacuated to safety, authorities said.
It was the North Atlantic nation's fifth volcanic eruption in under three years.
The most recent occurred just weeks ago on December 18 in the same region, southwest of the capital Reykjavik.
At least three houses were engulfed in fire as glowing orange lava flowed into the edge of the town of Grindavik, live images broadcast by public television RUV showed.
"In a little village like this one, we're like a family, we all know each other as family — it's tragic seeing this," local resident Sveinn Ari Gudjonsson told AFP.
"It's unreal, it's like watching a film," added the 55-year-old, who works in the fishing industry.
Most of the 4,000-strong population of Grindavik had been evacuated as a precaution on November 11 after scientists said a magma dyke was shifting beneath them.
At the time, a series of small earthquakes — sometimes hundreds per day — had created large cracks in roads, homes and buildings.
Lava explosions and billowing smoke are seen near residential buildings in the southwestern Icelandic town of Grindavik after a volcanic eruption on January 14, 2024.
'Black day'
On Sunday, a first eruption began at 8am (8am GMT) when a crack opened in the ground around 450 meters from the town.
At 6:45pm GMT, the Icelandic Meteorological Office said that fissure measured around 900 meters long, and crossed over the main road to Grindavik.
A second fissure then opened around midday on the edge of town, with that lava engulfing the homes. It measured around 100 meters by evening, IMO said.
Jets of orange lava and plumes of smoke spewed into the sky from the two cracks throughout the day.
The eruption knocked out electricity and hot and cold water in Grindavik, authorities said, but airline flights were not affected.
At a press conference, Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir called Sunday a "black day today for Grindavik and ... for all of Iceland. But the sun will come up again."
The head of Iceland's Civil Protection and Emergency Management, Vidir Reynisson, said the eruption was "the most serious threat" posed by a volcanic eruption in Iceland since January 1973.
In a rare address to the nation, Iceland's President Gudni Johannesson said he "hoped the situation would calm down, but anything can happen."
Amid the uncertainty facing the town, he urged Icelanders to "stand together and have compassion for those who cannot be in their homes."
Shortly after the December 18 eruption, Grindavik residents were allowed to return for brief periods.
They were authorized to regain their homes permanently on December 23 but only a few dozen chose to do so.
