Scientists surprised by Iceland volcano's slow eruption - volcanologist

Record ID: 1757553

  • Title: Scientists surprised by Iceland volcano's slow eruption - volcanologist
  • Date: 19th December 2023
  • Summary: TENERIFE, SPAIN (DECEMBER 19, 2023) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DIRECTOR OF VOLCANIC MONITORING AREA OF CANARY ISLANDS VOLCANOLOGICAL INSTITUTE LUCA D'AURIA SAYING: “This last eruption is, apparently from what we see right now, the strongest one (of series of eruptions during last years) and also the pattern which preceded this eruption was unusual, it was surprising f
  • Embargoed: 2nd January 2024 11:25
  • Keywords: Iceland Spain expert science volcano
  • Location: TENERIFE, SPAIN / NORTHEAST OF GRINDAVIK, ICELAND
  • City: TENERIFE, SPAIN / NORTHEAST OF GRINDAVIK, ICELAND
  • Country: Spain
  • Topics: Disaster/Accidents,Europe,Earthquakes/Volcanoes/Tsunami
  • Reuters ID: LVA002699519122023RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Scientific community was 'surprised' by the pattern of Iceland's large volcanic eruption, said Luca D'Auria, the director of Volcanic monitoring area of Canary Islands volcanological institute on Tuesday (December 19).
    He said the eruption itself was no surprise but that it took so long to happen after the first warning signs last month.
    "But later the volcano decided to take a break and we don't know why now, so this is going to be an interesting scientific question to answer," he said.
    D'Auria forecast the eruption could last weeks or even months and at the moment was not yet threatening the nearby town of Grindavik, although this could change.
    He also said unless it started emitting large quantities of ash there was unlikely to be any disruption to air travel in the region.
    The Iceland government has said flights are unlikely to be affected, quashing international travel concerns lingering after the chaos that resulted from the ash cloud caused by an eruption on the north Atlantic island in 2010.
    The eruption late on Monday on the Reykjanes peninsula in southwest Iceland spewed lava and smoke more than 100 meters (330 feet) into the air after weeks of intense seismic activity.
    The eruption opened a 4 km (2.5 mile) fissure. But at its southernmost point the crack was still 3 km away from Grindavik, Iceland's Meteorological Office said.
    (Production: Antoine Demaison, Miguel Gutierrez)
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