A new volcanic eruption in Iceland started on Sunday morning. During the afternoon, the lava reached the town of Grindavik, where houses caught fire and started burning.
According to seismologist Björn Lund, there is a risk that the eruption will continue and that more buildings will be destroyed.
– There are quite intense lava fountains at two of the houses, says Lund.
Up to 200 minor earthquakes were recorded early Sunday morning. The Icelandic Coast Guard has located the eruption to the south of Hagafjell, according to the Icelandic Meteorological Office.
On Sunday afternoon, a new fissure opened just a few meters from the city limits, with lava flowing into the settlement. A first house has fallen victim to the lava flow, Rúv reports. According to information to the public service company, there were no people in the house. Pictures show houses that caught fire.
Ominous with a new crack
– It is very ominous, says Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir to the daily newspaper Morgunbladid about the outbreak.
Since the new fissure opened, the situation looks worse, according to Björn Lund, seismologist at Uppsala University.
– There are quite intense lava fountains next to two of the houses, he says.
At best, the outbreak can slow down quickly, like in December. But what is worrying in the long term is that a magma chamber has been filled. This could cause the eruption to continue with the risk of more buildings being destroyed by lava or burning down.