A new volcanic eruption began in Iceland on Saturday evening and is still ongoing but has subsided. It is the fourth eruption since December.

The eruption started in the same volcanic system as the previous ones, in the area between the Icelandic hills Hagafell and Stóra-Skógfell. During the evening, lava flowed across Grindavíkurvegur, the road between Grindavík and the northern part of the Reykjanes peninsula, as well as southwards towards Grindavík, westwards and even eastwards. The fissure is about 3.5 kilometres long.

– The current eruption is the strongest in the current system so far, geophysicist Magnús Tumi Guðmundsson from the University of Iceland told the Icelandic state broadcaster RUV.

The eruption continued until Monday, but since Saturday it has decreased to about 2-5 per cent of its original strength, Guðmundsson said.

In December, the area was hit by a powerful volcanic eruption following strong earthquakes. Víðir Reynisson, head of the Civil Defence, said that Grindavík had been evacuated again, but that the eruption had not yet posed a threat to residents as the lava was flowing along the city’s sea walls. However, around 700 people have been evacuated from the Blue Lagoon tourist attraction.

– The biggest concern at the moment is the infrastructure, says Reynisson.

Following the volcanic eruptions, the Icelandic government estimates the damage to Grindavík at ISK 80 billion (€538 million). Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson says the future of the town is uncertain and that reconstruction will require patience.

It was about a year ago that earthquakes and threats of volcanic eruptions led to the evacuation of all residents of the town. In a short time, Grindavík was hit by hundreds of earthquakes and magma was found to be flowing in a 15-kilometer-long fissure 800 meters underground.

Shortly after the earthquakes, the first volcanic eruption occurred, and since then the area has experienced five more eruptions. Although protective walls were erected around the city, the lava still flowed in and set buildings on fire.

Billions of kroner in damages

A new report by Iceland’s Prime Minister, Bjarni Benediktsson, maps out the costs of the damage in Grindavík and possible future scenarios for the town, as reported by Iceland Review. The total expenditure and investment costs of the Icelandic state as a result of the outbreaks are estimated at ISK 80 billion, equivalent to about €538 million.

Most of the costs are linked to a public investment company that has been buying up homes from residents who want to sell after the outbreaks. Additional costs relate to the protective walls that were set up around the city.

While a large proportion of properties in Grindavík escaped serious damage, 63 buildings were damaged beyond repair. Most of the damage was caused by the earthquakes, not by the lava from the eruptions.

Residents have now been allowed to return to their homes, but although 1,600 people are registered in Grindavík, only around 100 appear to have returned.

The Prime Minister emphasizes that the rebuilding process requires patience, partly because it is still unclear whether the volcanic eruptions will continue. According to researchers from Uppsala University and elsewhere, there is a risk that the eruptions could continue for decades to come.