Svartseng volcano erupts near Grindavik: Icelandic town evacuated, homes engulfed by lava
The eruption occurred north of Grindavik, a fishing town on the Reykjanes Peninsula in the southwestern part of Iceland. Town representatives confirmed that their worst fears were realized when a stream of lava reached the town and began engulfing homes. The town is now without power, and the water supply system has been damaged.
5:18 AM EST, January 15, 2024
Fortunately, residents were evacuated to safety prior to the eruption. Iceland's President, Gudni Johannesson, reassured the public via Twitter, stating that flight operations were unaffected by the volcanic activity.
"Another volcanic eruption occurred in the early hours north of Grindavik. The town was successfully evacuated overnight, so there is no imminent danger to residents. However, the infrastructure may be at risk. There are no flight disruptions," reads the post.
One passenger, en route to Iceland when the eruption occurred, captured the startling phenomenon on camera.
"We traveled to Iceland for our anniversary and my birthday. We never anticipated witnessing a volcanic eruption during our journey," shared Ross McClymont, the author of the now-viral recording, via platform X.
This is already the fifth eruption on the Reykjanes Peninsula since 2021. However, this eruption could potentially bear long-term consequences for Grindavík. On January 14, Iceland's Prime Minister, Katrin Jakobsdottir, referred to it as a "black day in the country's history".
