Iceland volcano alert: residents allowed five-minute home return

REYKJAVIK: Residents of Grindavik, a small Icelandic town on the Reykjanes Peninsula, have been granted a brief five-minute window to return home, prompted by concerns over the imminent eruption of a nearby volcano.

According to international media, the evacuation was prompted by heightened seismic activity in the region, marked by hundreds of small earthquakes daily for over two weeks.

Scientists closely monitoring a magma buildup approximately five kilometres underground raised concerns of an imminent volcanic eruption.

Grindavik, with a population of 3,400 and located 50 kilometres southwest of Reykjavik, was initially evacuated on Saturday following expert warnings about the impending eruption.

Authorities strictly regulated re-entry, allowing residents only during daylight hours and permitting one person per household to collect vital items, including pets, medicines, passports, and important documents.

Accompanied by police officers, residents had a limited timeframe to retrieve their belongings. Solveig Thorbergsdottir, a resident, described the urgency, stating, “You only have five minutes, but I stretched it to 15 and I just saved what I saw around. Photos of the grandchildren. Photos of myself when I was young. My best clothes, my wedding dress.”

Read More: Thousands evacuated as Iceland braces for volcanic eruption

The evacuation decision was based on monitoring indicating the presence of a magma corridor beneath the community. The Meteorological Office in Iceland noted that the magma corridor, or semi-molten rock, extended under Grindavik, prompting authorities to raise the aviation alert level to orange, signifying an increased risk of a volcanic eruption.

Meanwhile, the Police highlighted the importance of the evacuation, given the potential dangers associated with volcanic eruptions, especially the release of abrasive ash that can pose serious hazards to aviation.

The ash can damage aircraft engines, flight control systems, and reduce visibility, as witnessed during the major eruption in Iceland in 2010, which disrupted air travel between Europe and North America.

According to reports, the seismic activity escalated with a magnitude 4.8 earthquake on Thursday, forcing the temporary closure of the internationally known Blue Lagoon geothermal resort.

Geology professor Pall Einarrson explained that the magma corridor, initially concentrated under a network of 2,000-year-old craters north of Grindavik, had expanded, reaching the urban area and heading towards the sea.

As the region remains on high alert, residents grapple with the uncertainty surrounding the potential eruption and the impact it may have on their community and air travel.