A town in Iceland has been ordered to evacuate again after new volcanic fissures opened nearby

CNN
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Iceland's national police commissioner ordered residents in the fishing town of Grindavik to evacuate first Novemberwas to be evacuated again by Monday evening after volcanic fissures opened on roads in the area.

Grindavik, located about 70 kilometers (43 miles) southwest of Iceland's capital city of Reykjavik on the Reykjanes Peninsula, had previously been evacuated after weeks of seismic activity that culminated in a dramatic eruption that spewed out bursts of lava and sent up huge plumes. From smoke to sky.

The city is also home to famous Icelanders Blue lakeWhich attracts tourists for its steaming geothermal waters and is one of the most visited attractions in the country.

“It is assumed that the order will be in effect for the next three weeks,” the country's Civil Protection Agency said in a statement on Saturday, adding that the only exceptions to the order would be for authorities to conduct official business or for residents. For short periods while rescuing valuables.

The latest evacuation order comes after the Icelandic Meteorological Office reported on Friday that the risks associated with volcanic fissures were considered higher than in its previous assessment.

“Based on the risk assessment issued by the Civil Protection Department on January 12, continued housing in Grindavik is not considered justified, in light of public safety considerations,” the government agency said.

The amount of magma reached a similar level when A Previous eruption The agency said this happened in December. But in the case of the latest eruption, the magma could “migrate further south” – compared to the previous eruption – and possibly reach the city of Grindavik.

The eruption that occurred in December is believed to be the largest to date, according to authorities

A state of emergency was declared in November.

Iceland volcanoes

Iceland It is home to 32 Active volcanoes lie at the boundaries of tectonic plates that are constantly dividing, pushing North America and Eurasia away from each other along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

As such, the country is accustomed to volcanic eruptions, although they often occur in the wilderness, far from populated areas.

The Pararbunga volcanic system in the center of the country erupted in 2014, producing lava that covered 84 square kilometers (32 square miles) of highland but did not harm any communities.

Experts do not expect the latest series of eruptions to cause the same level of chaos as in 2010 when Eyjafjallajökull erupted, because it is unlikely to involve glacial ice that created a huge ash cloud.

About 100,000 flights were cancelled, affecting two million people, as a result of ash from the 2010 volcanic eruption, which threatened to shut down aircraft engines and cause power outages.