Evacuations Ordered in Iceland After Volcano Erupts Again

news image
Special Stories
18 Mar 2024 4:25 PM

The same volcano that has erupted 3 previous times this year has started up again. Near Grindavik, the volcano started erupting late Saturday night. The Icelandic Met Office said a 2.9 km (1.8 mile) fissure formed between Mount Hagafell and Mount Stora Skogfell.

The Met Office mentioned that the activity has waned noticeably over the past 24 hours but at times the lava was reaching speeds of one kilometer per hour (that's a little over half a mile per hour). While the pace of the lava has slowed considerably, if it makes it to the sea and rapidly cools, it could lead to some potentially hazardous gases. The Icelandic Met Office does not believe this is a likely outcome unless something changes.

A state of emergency was declared for the southern portion of the peninsula on Saturday, with "hundreds" evacuated from the Blue Lagoon thermal spa.

All Weather News
More
Texas Flood Threat To Start The Week

Texas Flood Threat To Start The Week

Rain is tapering off after the heavy totals t

9 Nov 2026 10:55 PM
East Coast Snow? What We Know About the Late Week System

East Coast Snow? What We Know About the Late Week System

Ready for the first snow of the season? While

9 Nov 2026 10:50 PM
Tropics Update: Pena Spinning in the Pacific

Tropics Update: Pena Spinning in the Pacific

Hurricane season isn’t over yet. The National

9 Nov 2026 10:30 PM
Atmospheric Rivers Slam the West

Atmospheric Rivers Slam the West

The calendar has now turned to the month of N

9 Nov 2026 2:55 PM
Heavy Rain Brings Flooding Concerns to Northeast as Storm System Moves East

Heavy Rain Brings Flooding Concerns to Northeast as Storm System Moves East

The same system that has produced unsettled w

7 Nov 2026 10:00 PM
Flash Flood Emergency For Parts of Georgia and Tennessee

Flash Flood Emergency For Parts of Georgia and Tennessee

Residences along the Ocoee (TN) and Toccoa (G

5 Nov 2026 1:50 PM
Torrential Downpours Batter the Sunshine State

Torrential Downpours Batter the Sunshine State

Florida has seen heavy rainfall and lots of f

5 Nov 2026 11:05 AM