The lava continues to flow

The eruption in Holuhraun continues, with no signs of abating. The lava continues to flow to the east north east and has grown in area since yesterday.

This morning RÚV public broadcaster reported that new eruptive fissures had opened to the south of the on-going eruption. A 8:30 surveillance flight with scientists from the Met office and University of Iceland confirmed this; two fires south of the previous eruption site in Holuhraun, in a graben which that had formed above the intrusion, about 2km away from Dyngjujökull. The eruptive fire fountains from the new fissures are substantially smaller than in the older fissure.

The cauldron in Dyngjujökull seems to have grown deeper since the last observation. No changes are visible in Bárðarbunga. Considerable activity is in the northern fissure (fissure 1) and the height of the steam cloud is about 15,000 feet.

Seismicity in the area is similar to yesterday’s activity. About 270 earthquakes have been detected from midnight to noon; two earthquakes of magnitudes 4, 4 and 5, 3 in the Bárðarbunga caldera region at around midnight UTC. GPS displacements continue to decrease. Measurements show a slight increase in conductivity in Jökulsá á Fjöllum.

The closures of the area north of Vatnajökull are still in force. All roads leading to the area are closed. Permissions to scientists and media for access to limited parts of the area, have been withdrawn, due to new fissures near Dyngjujökull glacier. This is a precautionary measure due to the danger of floods in case of an eruption under the
glacier.