Iceland Volcano Could Still Unleash Life-Threatening Toxic Gas Plume, Reaching the Sea

Experts warned that the volcano in Iceland could still unleash a toxic gas plume.

To recall, the submerged volcano in Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula has erupted for the fourth time in four months.

Lava Flow To Unleash Gas Plume

Scientists said that the resulting lava flow narrowly missed Grindavík, however, it could still reach the sea that can potentially unleash a toxic gas plume.

The Icelandic MET Office said that it has already updated the hazard assessment to account for the latest data.

The new hazard assessment took effect on Monday, March 18, with experts saying that it will be valid until March 20, unless the situation changes.

They said that the Zone 3 (the Sundhnúkur crater row), where the volcanic eruption is still ongoing, remains unchanged, with the hazard level remaining very high. Meanwhile, the hazard level is assessed to remain high in Zone 1 (Svartsengi) due to gas emissions and lava flows.

On the other hand, the same applies to Zone 4 (Grindavík), where the danger due to sinkholes above fissures, fault movements, lava flows, and gas emissions is still considered as high.

So far, Zone 5 has been downgraded to considerable risk (orange) and Zone 7 is now downgraded to some risk.

The reason for assessing the danger as greater in Zone 1 than in Zone 5 is the closer distance to the active end of the eruptive fissure.

The weather forecast and gas dispersion that is forecasted for the next few days will affect the assessment of gas pollution and ash in the hazard assessment.

Authorities said that the eruptive activity has been relatively stable since yesterday afternoon.

The eruption has been focused at two locations along the eruptive fissure, but the northernmost craters that were active yesterday are deemed as not active at present.

Meanwhile, the most active areas are near the southern end of the eruptive fissure that opened on Saturday evening, with lava flowing from these locations southward towards the road Suðurstrandarvegur.

In the morning, the lava flow was approximately 330 meters from the road, with minor movement of the margin since yesterday evening.

Officials said that the observations of the area in the evening had indicated that there is no significant activity or movement of the lava flow that crossed the road Grindavíkurvegur a few hours after the eruption started.

Volcanic Eruptions

To recall, the volcano first erupted in December last year after weeks of seismic activity and ground deformation. Further, it blew its top again in January of this year.

Meanwhile, another eruption began last February 6 and lasted for just over a week. On Saturday, the volcano suddenly erupted for a fourth time at around 8 p.m. local time with almost no warning for residents.

During that time, lava broke through in three separate places, creating two fissures between Hagafell and Stóra-Skógfell, according to the Icelandic Met Office.