Five to ten times larger than the last eruption
The eruption that started in Meradälar today is five to ten times bigger than the eruption in Geldingadälar last year. The crack that opened is about three hundred meters long and about 20 to 50 cubic meters of magma spit up out every second.
This is the assessment of Magnús Tuma Guðmundsson, professor of geophysics at the University of Iceland, who reviewed the state of affairs at a civil defense briefing. which ended recently.
However, he said the eruption was not large and no infrastructure was currently in danger. The eruption centers are further away from last year’s eruption, but care must be taken nonetheless.
It is impossible to predict with great accuracy the development of the eruption in the coming days, but we can expect that the earthquake series will die down. He also said that it is unlikely that it will erupt in other places during this time.
More gas
Elín Björk Jónasdóttir, a meteorologist at the Icelandic Meteorological Office, said more gas followed this year’s eruption compared to last year’s eruption. This is explained by the fact that much more magma is now emerging. It is important that people do not go down into the hollow and valley when they visit the eruption, but stay up on the surrounding hills.
There is no risk of gas pollution in the settlement at the moment, as the jet is heading south, but the wind direction will change during the weekend. Meters will be set up during the treatment so that it will be possible to monitor the air quality at the eruption stations.
She then said that the eruption would not affect international or domestic flights as none would come from the eruption centers.