May 30 (UPI) – Icelandic authorities warned that gas pollution could occur in the country’s capital on Thursday amid the latest volcanic eruption.
The Icelandic Met Office said the wind direction was expected to change southwest, sending potential pollution toward Reykjavik as the lava flow spread across main roads on Wednesday, with its eruptive fissure now stretching nearly 2 and a half kilometers.
Lava flowed down Grindavik Road and Nesvegur Road on Wednesday as it moved south and west towards Porbjorn Mountain. Another lava lobe north of Sylingafell flowed west, officials said.
The Met Office said steam explosions have increased as magma reaches the coast of Iceland.
“Magma causes water to be quickly converted into [a] gaseous state [steam]causing steam explosions and [ash] fall,” the office said. “There is considerable uncertainty regarding the amount of gases from the eruption site.”
Hazard assessments in Svartsengi and northern Svartengi has been updated to “red” due to increased lava flow and the possibility of gas pollution.
Evacuations in southwest Iceland are in progress as the volcano began erupting since Wednesday since the eruption of Mount Sylingarfellon on the Reykjanes peninsula. It is the eighth eruption in the last three years and the fifth in the last six months.
More than 140 earthquakes were measured in the area before the eruption. The popular tourist site, the Blue Lagoon, was evacuated along with other areas of Grindavik this week because of the volcano.
