Iceland: The lava flow has decreased

The lava flow from the volcanic eruption north of Grindavík in Iceland has decreased, reports the public service company Rúv.

Lava now appears to be emerging from only two of four vents on the volcano’s northern fissure, formed Sunday morning.

The eruption of the southern fissure, which occurred near Grindavík at lunchtime on Sunday, appears to have stopped.

– It is not possible to tell from the data how long this will last at the moment, says geophysicist Magnús Tumi to Rúv.

At the same time, work continues to build barricades near the volcano. In a televised speech on Monday, Iceland’s President Gudni Jóhannesson emphasizes that it is not yet known how the outbreak will develop.

– But we still have to take the measures that are within our power. We continue to hope for as good a result as possible, despite these enormous forces of nature, he says according to AFP.

– We will continue with our tasks and we will continue to stand united.

Early on Sunday morning, upwards of 200 earthquakes were recorded in Iceland, leading to the evacuation of residents of Grindavík. When the first crack occurred, just before eight on Sunday, all residents had left the coastal town.

Later, the lava reached the city and pictures showed how several houses had caught fire. Infrastructure such as electricity and water pipes have also been damaged as a result of the eruption.