Iceland volcano: Pollution warning issued for capital Reykjavik as smoke, ash spread

A pollution warning has been issued for Iceland’s capital Reykjavik after a volcanic eruption in Reykjanes peninsula late Monday (Dec 18), said the country’s meteorological office. Meanwhile, the lava spewing from the volcano appeared to be flowing away from the only nearby town and the intensity of the eruption dropped over the past day or so.

Last month, nearly 4,000 people from the Icelandic fishing town of Grindavik, which is around 40 kilometres away from the capital city of Reykjavik, were evacuated due to the threat of the volcano.

However, since the lava is reportedly flowing away from the town there is hope that homes would be safe even though seismic activity could last months, said the officials, on Tuesday (Dec 19).

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Pollution warning in Reykjavik

The volcanic eruption in southwest Iceland which the government said “does not present a threat to life” took place around 10:17 pm (local time) after weeks of intense earthquakes and tremors.

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The eruption has prompted the Icelandic Met Office to issue a gas pollution warning for the country’s capital city by Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning. The smell of ash and smoke, BBC citing residents said, is being picked up as far as 30 kilometres from the eruption site.

The eruption late on Monday spewed lava and smoke more than 100 metres into the air after weeks of intense seismic activity. While the eruption continues to weaken, the volcanic plume reportedly appeared to move from the west and northwest on Tuesday.

The Icelandic government, in a statement, also dismissed international travel concerns due to the smoke and ash and said, “There are no disruptions to flights to and from Iceland and international flight corridors remain open.”

The eruption opened a four-kilometre fissure but even at its southernmost point, the crack was still around three kilometres away from Grindavik, said the Icelandic Met Office.

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“Everything happened so fast,” Kristin Maria Birgisdottir, 43, a Grindavik resident who has been evacuated since November 10 told Reuters.

“I had already put my kids to sleep, and I was already in bed when I saw someone posted that it had erupted. I took a screenshot, and thought to myself that it was a bad joke.”

Christmas celebrations away from home

Since the eruption took place yesterday, it has quashed the hopes of the residents of Grindavik who were hoping to celebrate Christmas at their homes which they were evacuated from last month.

“Unfortunately, the hope that had ignited in the hearts of many about the possibility of celebrating Christmas at home in Grindavik was extinguished when the eruption began yesterday,” said Mayor of Grindavik Fannar Jonasson, in a statement.

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While the lava is not flowing towards Grindavik, media reports citing geologists and volcanologists have said there is no telling when the eruption will end.

“It could potentially go on for several months. It could also just stop later today or tomorrow,” said Halldor Geirson, an associate professor at the Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland, as quoted by Reuters.

(With inputs from agencies)