Iceland Volcano Threat Downgraded as Officials Observe No Visible Movement
Officials in Iceland have downgraded the threat level from the volcano that erupted earlier this week near Grindavík. The Icelandic meteorological office (IMO) announced that they could no longer observe any volcanic activity at the site of the eruption.
The eruption on Monday created a fissure in the ground about 2.5 miles long, spewing orange lava into the sky just 2 miles from the town of Grindavík. However, the IMO reported that volcanic activity seemed to have come to an end late Thursday night or early Friday morning, with no visible activity seen during surveillance flights. Despite this, there is a possibility that lava may still be flowing underneath the surface, and it is not yet confirmed whether the eruption has completely ceased.
Authorities have also lowered their alert level, downgrading the state of emergency that was declared on Monday evening. While the 4,000 residents of Grindavík were given limited access to the town between 7am and 4pm on Thursday, overnight stays are still deemed unsafe. First responders are on standby in case of an emergency evacuation.
In response to the eruption, reinforcements have been built around the Svartsengi geothermal power plant, which is just over a mile from the volcano and supplies electricity and water to 30,000 people on the peninsula. Discussions are also underway regarding the possibility of building a similar barrier to protect Grindavík.
Iceland is no stranger to volcanic eruptions, with 33 active volcano systems in the country, the highest number in Europe. Despite the downgrading of the threat level, authorities are urging caution and continued monitoring of the situation.