"We are quite worried"
Natural hazard experts at the Icelandic Met Office are worried that the next eruption could start with little notice, perhaps only 30 minutes. mbl.is/Kristinn Magnússon
The Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management is fully prepared in case of an eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula in the coming days, but in an announcement from the Icelandic Meteorological Office on Friday, it was stated that if the accumulation of magma will continue at the same rate as now, then the amount of magma will reach the threshold during this week that is believed to be needed to start the next magma flow and even a volcanic eruption.
Experts from the Icelandic Met. Office also estimate that there is a chance that an eruption could start with very little notice, less than 30 minutes.
Warning sirens, if necessary
"We are quite worried that if there is an eruption in the next few days, it will be difficult to evacuate these places, as the warning can be very short and no one can say exactly where the eruption will occur. We know that people are in the town and the Blue Lagoon, but we have warning sirens in place that will be blown if there is a reason for it," says Hjördís Guðmundsdóttir, communications director of the Civil Protection, to mbl.is.
Yesterday hot water was brought back to Grindavík, and it is estimated that normal pressure will be reached in the hot water pipe system after the weekend.
"One of the main projects in recent days has been the work on the repair of the hot water pipe, which was leaking a lot. It was successful, but despite that, the work is not finished at all and the pipes have not reached full pressure, which will take a few days," Guðmundsdóttir says.
She adds that this week they also succeeded in bringing cold water to the harbor area and that the next steps are being planned to bring cold water to more areas in the town. She makes it clear that it will take time.
Tomorrow at 5 pm there will be an information meeting for the residents of Grindavík in Laugardalshöll, where residents will receive information about the state of the town's infrastructure.
