Iceland Volcano: Eruption Has Started At Sundhnúkur -- Iceland Met Office

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From the Civil Defense patrol flight on May 9. No lava splashes are visible in the crater, although smoke continues to pour out of it. (Photo: Civil Defense)From the Civil Defense patrol flight on May 9. No lava splashes are visible in the crater, although smoke continues to pour out of it. (Photo: Civil Defense)

Iceland Met Office

29 May at 14:50 UTC

  • A volcanic eruption started at the Sundhnúkur crater row at 12:46 UTC today

  • The lava flows over Grindavík road

  • The eruptive fissure is now about 3.4 km long

  • The extrusion rate is roughly estimated at 1,500-2,000 m3/s

  • Seismic activity has decreased rapidly

It appears that most of the vigor in the eruption is now at the southern end of the fissure that opened earlier today. According to information from the Coast Guard‘s surveillance flight, there is a fairly intense flow of lava surrounding Hagafell to the east and then south towards Melhólsnáma.

The southernmost opening of the fissure is now less than a kilometer away from the lava barriers north of Grindavík.

The first estimate of scientists is that the start of this eruption is more vigorous than in previous eruptions in the area, but the extrusion rate is roughly estimated at 1,500-2,000 m3/s.

Updated 29. May at 14:15 UTC

The lava has flowed about 1 km to the west and there is a considerable flow south of Stóra-Skógfell towards Grindavík road. At just over 14 o'clock the volcanic plume reached about 3.4 km to the air. Another volcanic fissure opened to the west of the largest crater that formed in the eruption which started on 16 March 2024. The extrusion rate is roughly estimated to be 1.000 m3/s.

Gas pollution will be towards southeast and later today towards east and could therefore be felt in Selvogur and Ölfus. The wind direction will change tonight to the southwest and thus gas pollution will be carried to the northeast and could be felt in the capital area tonight and tomorrow (Thursday).

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