Unlike Iceland’s 2010 eruption that grounded thousands of flights, eruptions in the Grindavik area, such as these, are not expected produced large clouds of volcanic ash (which pose the greatest risk to air travel) due to the geographic location of the fissures, Snorri Valsson, Project Manager at the Icelandic Tourist Board, told RUV in November.
Overall, officials don’t expect the latest eruption to have an effect on air travel. “The impact of volcanic eruptions tends to be limited to specific, localized areas near the eruption site,” the tourism board said after the first eruption in December. “Notably, previous eruptions in the area did not impact air travel to and from the country.”
Site closures
Following the January eruption, one of Iceland’s iconic tourist attractions has shut down once again. The Blue Lagoon thermal spring, which is located on the Reykjanes peninsula less than three miles from Grindavik, is closed to visitors. The popular geothermal spa will remain fully shuttered until Thursday January 18, according to its website. The lagoon has been closed on and off since the threat of an eruption was first detected in November. All guests with upcoming bookings will be contacted, the statement said. (The Blue Lagoon first halted operations on November 9, when a major uptick in seismic activity was detected.)
“Right now, the most affected tourist destination is the Blue Lagoon, which is temporarily closed as a precautionary measure,” Harlan Vaughn, a travel specialist with Elite Iceland, tells Condé Nast Traveler. “It’s one of the most popular tourist destinations in Iceland, but as of now, the rest of the country, including the international airport in Keflavik, is fully open and operational.”
How to help residents
The Red Cross is raising money for the affected residents. Donations will be allocated directly to residents in Grindavik to help rebuild homes and meet other immediate needs. The organization has assembled a special allocation committee—made up of representatives from the Red Cross, the town of Grindavik, and the local priest in Grindavik—to ensure the funds reach people in need, RUV reports.
“The best way to support Iceland right now is to keep your travel plans but stay aware of the developing situation,” Vaughn says. He also advises approaching your travel with sensitivity. “I have heard from Icelanders that the ‘volcano tourism’ offerings to fly above the eruptions are making a bad situation worse for those who are struggling in the affected areas. While the activity is tempting to view, the area is best left to local officials to manage, not for tourists.”
A developing situation
While there were no signs of further lava flow as of Tuesday morning, and “seismic activity continues to decrease” as per the IMO, about 200 small earthquakes were detected on Monday night, which means magma is still moving. “At this point, it is premature to declare that the eruption is over,” the IMO said. “Considerable hazards persist in the area.”
Experts first began detecting a surge in seismic activity in the area in late October, with a series of thousands of small earthquakes recorded along an underground magma corridor, leading officials to declare a state of emergency in Grindavik on November 10. Since then, it’s been a waiting game to see when exactly an eruption would occur, giving authorities plenty of time to prepare to handle the fissures belching lava.
On average, Iceland experiences a volcanic event every five years. “Iceland has been formed by a series of volcanic eruptions across millions of years and its culture has been shaped and even improved by it,” Chris Gordon, a travel specialist with Icepedition, tells Traveler. “Some upsides of volcanism include clean geothermal energy for power plants, as well as hot springs, hot rivers and even hot waterfalls to enjoy.”
This story has been updated with new information since its original publish date.
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