Weeks after a nine-mile lengthy underground river of magma threatened to erupt in southwest Iceland, final night time the volcano lastly started spewing lava 100 metres into the air.
Fortunately native residents had already been evacuated, and miraculously the creeping stream of lava from the Fagradalsfjall volcano seems to have missed the close by city of Grindavik.
However after taking so lengthy to truly get going, how lengthy will the eruption final – and will there be extra?
Observe our stay weblog for up to date updates on Iceland’s volcano eruption
Volcanoes are notoriously onerous to foretell, and the underground workings of our planet stay one thing of a thriller.
At current although, officers are assured that there isn’t any menace to life, and if something, it’s a bit run of the mill.
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‘The eruption shouldn’t be anticipated to impression extra populated areas,’ reported a authorities assertion issued earlier at present. ‘Iceland’s authorities are properly ready for seismic occasions which happen repeatedly as a function of our nation’s pure geography.’
And already the stream of lava oozing by the fissure is estimated to be a few quarter of what it was when the eruption kicked off final night time.Â
Nonetheless, that doesn’t imply it’ll cease any time quickly – and it might even go on for weeks.
‘It’s most likely too quickly to say how huge it is going to be,’ mentioned Dr Phil Collins, deputy dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Design & Bodily Sciences at Brunel College.Â
‘The preliminary impression is that the early stage of the eruption could have been a bit bigger than the earlier current ones within the space. It’s now settled down considerably however could undergo durations of various exercise.Â
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‘We might be taking a look at some weeks, maybe months earlier than it lastly dies down.’
One factor figuring out the size of the eruption is the provision of magma beneath the floor persevering with to spill out – probably at different factors alongside the underground river.
Why does Iceland have so many volcanoes?
Iceland has 33 energetic volcanic programs – that’s rather a lot for a rustic smaller than England (which has none).
The explanation for that is its location. Iceland sits on prime of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the be part of between two tectonic plates.
These two plates are frequently pulling aside, permitting magma from the Earth’s mantle to flee from the floor, including to the mountains and pushing them up and out.
And supercharging this volcanic exercise, Iceland additionally sits on a mantle plume, or ‘sizzling spot’, a giant bubble of sizzling rock that’s frequently rising to the floor.
Learn extra about Iceland’s fiery panorama right here
‘Magma continues to be shifting in the direction of the floor on the eruption fissure and doubtless within the surrounding space,’ mentioned Dr Collins. ‘The opening of the fissure could imply the possibilities of one other eruption close by, nevertheless it’s most likely too early to make sure.
‘The extent and pace of the lava flows are clearly one thing to observe fastidiously as they’ve the potential to be very damaging. There additionally must be ongoing monitoring of floor floor modifications across the eruption as uplift and subsidence can severely harm infrastructure and will have an effect on protected evacuation routes.’
Fortunately for the residents of Iceland, they and the authorities are well-versed within the earthquakes and eruptions, with intensive evacuation and administration plans.Â
However as Dr Collins notes, little or no will be finished to manage eruptions.
‘There’s no solution to cease the eruption,’ he mentioned. ‘It could be potential to divert lava flows utilizing embankments, and a few have already been constructed. In the mean time, sadly, the realm has to remain evacuated.’
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