2023-11-09 11:48:05
Island
Waiting for the volcano to erupt – blue lagoon already closed
Thousands of earthquakes have occurred on Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula in recent days – which is a reliable indicator of a volcanic eruption.
Updated9. November 2023, 12:48
A volcanic eruption in Fagradalsfjall occurred in March 2021. It is very close to the Blue Lagoon, the biggest tourist attraction in Iceland.
The Blue Lagoon was briefly closed to prevent any possible risk to employees.
It is impossible to predict whether and when an outbreak will occur.
IMAGO/ingimage
A volcanic eruption is becoming increasingly likely on the Icelandic peninsula of Fagradalsfjall.
Numerous earthquakes that have occurred once more now had already predicted volcanic eruptions in the past.
The Blue Lagoon tourist attraction was closed as a precautionary measure.
Given one ongoing series of earthquakes and a possible impending volcanic eruption is on Island one of the country’s largest tourist attractions has been temporarily closed. The Blue Lagoon, a geothermal pool southwest of Reykjavik, will initially remain closed for a week until Thursday next week. A main reason for the decision is the ongoing strain on employees, the operators said on the website of the popular outdoor pool with its special white-blue water. The seismic activity will be closely monitored in the coming days and the situation will be reassessed accordingly.
The Blue Lagoon is located on the Reykjanes Peninsula around 40 kilometers southwest of Reykjavik and just under 20 minutes by car from Keflavik International Airport. A new series of earthquakes with thousands of tremors began on the peninsula at the end of October – since 2020, such earthquake swarms have announced volcanic eruptions three times.
Stressful situation for residents too
According to the Icelandic weather authority Vedurstofa, there were hundreds of quakes in the area on Thursday night, including several with a magnitude of over 4.0 and one that was close to magnitude 5.0. It is still unclear whether all of this is a harbinger of an eruption this time too. A total of 1,200 earthquakes have been measured since the end of October. Meanwhile, the residents of the Reykjanes peninsula are nervous: “We haven’t slept properly for two weeks. The earth shakes beneath our feet all the time. “Sometimes I’m surprised that my house stays standing when the earthquakes are very close – sometimes directly underneath,” said resident Solny Palsdottir to tagesschau.de.
There have been repeated earthquakes in the area since 2021, but according to Valentin Troll, a volcanologist at Uppsala University, the situation is much more dangerous this time: “The problem we are seeing now is that the earthquake foci are under or in close to a geothermal energy plant. This system supplies, among other things, Reykjavik Airport with energy.” A fishing village was also affected.
Volcanic eruption not certain
Despite the numerous earthquakes, it is not possible to say with certainty whether the volcano will erupt – because it is impossible to predict whether the rising magma will actually shoot out of the earth or get stuck in the ground. Volcanologist Troll believes an eruption is imminent.
The islanders have also prepared for an emergency: evacuation plans are in place, as is a live camera that keeps an eye on the volcano at all times.
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