Iceland volcano eruption: Evacuation zone ‘still dangerous’ – live

A Grindavik couple have refused to return to their home deeming it not safe enough to raise their new baby after the 5.2 magnitude earthquake rocked the Icelandic fishing town.

Guðjón and his wife Ayça Erişkin, who had their first child on Wednesday, said they had decided not to go back to Grindavik despite setting up their family home there.

Guðjón, a rock musician born and raised in the harbour town told The Independent: “While I fully understand people that intend to go back whenever possible and I do feel a strong urge to do so myself, we want to find a stable home for us and our newborn child.

“It’s clear that even though things would settle for now and people could go back, the same situation can arise essentially any time.”

My colleague Barney Davis reports from Iceland:

My colleague Barney Davis was among the first international journalists to enter the evacuated town of Grindavik yesterday. He reports:

The once bustling harbour town has been left empty since 10 November – the day the ground opened up and caused all the children and the elderly to flee, not knowing what was around the corner or if they would even see home again.

Early Christmas decorations are left still switched on and children’s bikes have been left to rust in the front yard of a home with an enormous crack down the side – simply because it stood in the way of the shuddering faultline stretching from the mountains through the little town and into the Atlantic.

One street has its houses now kneeling forwards and a huge fissure splits Grindavik’s only old people’s home.

The town’s fish and chip shop still has its garish advertising hoarding switched on offering an eerie respite from the horrific hailstorms that descend every three minutes upon this desperate Englishman.

Evacuating 3,700 residents was no mean feat. They were told to turn off the electricity in their homes and close all windows. You can see the signs flapping in the high winds, declaring the home was successfully emptied.

The evacuation zone at Grindavik is “still dangerous”, with conditions meaning residents would have just a few minutes’ warning to escape prior to an eruption. a civil defence official has told The Independent.

“I have never seen anything like it before. Usually we will have a few minutes warning to get out but with the weather like it is today we have even less.” A weather warning is in place for strong gale-force winds in eastern Iceland.

It came as authorities said rescue workers could get as little as “30 minutes’ notice” before the anticipated volcanic eruption.

“The challenge that we have is that we will not see any strong evidence that the magma is coming up, we will see some small earthquakes and we can see how they will probably form in one place rather than another,” Vídir Reynisson, the head of the civil protection and emergency management agency, told Fox News.

Residents in the evacuated town of Grindavik will be allowed to return to their homes for much longer than previously to rescue their valuables.

Authorities are expected to lower the threat level in the area at 11am this morning, from which point it is intended that residents will be permitted to be in Grindavik between the hours of 9am and 4pm every day.

Residents can now drive themselves to the town rather than be escorted by emergency officials, and advised to walk to and from their homes in a way that allows them to evacuate at short notice.

The threat level in the area of Grindavik is set to be revised at 11am – from one of “emergency” to “danger”, police said on Wednesday evening.

The police commissioner and local authorities made the decision following a new assessment by the Icelandic Meteorological Office, which states that the probability of a sudden eruption within the town limits of Grindavík has been decreasing every day and is now considered small.

Land is still rising in Svarteng and the magma there could flow again under the magma tunnel under Grindavík, but the Norwegian Meteorological Agency said that signs of this would be detectable on seismic and GPS sensors.

There is still a possibility of a volcanic eruption in the area above the magma tunnel, most likely between Hagafell and Sýlingarfell, and civil defence teams will continue to keep the area well patrolled.

Only pre-approved residents were allowed access to Grindavik on Wednesday as 78 who registered request to return to collect belongings were allowed through from 9am.

The Independent’s Barney Davis reported from the scene of an emergency blockade staffed by search and rescue workers.

Only an 18-wheeler lorry was allowed through.

The Red Cross advised that it was ok to be “gentle” during this time, advocating the use of “age appropriate” language when speaking to young children.

Víðir Reynisson, the Director of Civil Protection, said that a group of experts would be looking at the possibility of pumping water over the lava to cool it in the event the volcano erupted.

Over 700 people have requested housing after being evacuated from the town of Grindavik.

Officials confirmed that media access would be reconsidered and reporters would be allowed a better opportunity to take photos and cover the story.

Police thanked volunteers and emergency services and reminded people that services were getting used to a new situation.

Iceland’s Met Office expanded the area on Tuesday amid suggestions that a larger area than expected could be affected. See the most recent map below.

There are three danger areas as can be seen on the above map, according to The Iceland Monitor:

Orange: Danger zone A: Danger due to seismic activity.

Red: Danger zone B: Danger due to possible eruption (including the earth cracking open suddenly, eruption with little forewarning, lava flowing and dangerous gas pollution).

Purple: Danger zone C: Increased danger of eruption like in zone B, and even more danger of earth opening suddenly and dangerous gas pollution. In this zone escape routes need to be clear, gas monitors are needed and gasmasks if you go into the area.

Earthquakes in and around Grindavík can be a harbinger of other and bigger events in the near future, according to RUV’s Kveikur.

They report that an eruption could herald a reshaping of the Rekjanes peninsula.

Critical infrastructure could be destroyed and some residents have told The Independent that they would reconsider moving back in future.

The town of Grindavík, just 10 miles south of Keflavik International Airport, has been evacuated as a precaution.

I am in Iceland. Will I be able to leave?

Yes, assuming the international airport remains open. So far operations have been normal. You may be keen to leave earlier than booked, in order to guarantee your getaway, but at present you will not be able to switch flights without paying a penalty.