Iceland News

Tourists and residents in south-west Iceland were evacuated on November 7, 2023, as a volcano erupted, threatening the town of Grindavik and the popular Blue Lagoon spa. The eruption, which began around 9:45 a.m. local time, has created a fissure up to 1.2 kilometers long, spewing lava and causing multiple earthquakes in the area, according to the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO). Grindavik resident Asrun Kristinsdottir noted that this eruption felt different due to "constant" tremors, prompting her urgent evacuation. Local authorities reported that some residents chose to remain despite the risk, as the police commissioner Ulfar Ludviksson urged people to vacate the danger zone. Fears have grown that lava flows could soon invade populated areas. Previous volcanic activity in the Reykjanes Peninsula has led to periodic eruptions since 2021, with the current event marking the longest magma length measured since November 2023 at around 11 kilometers. The IMO stated that based on wind patterns, gas pollution from the eruption is expected to drift towards the capital area.

Two siblings, aged 8 and 9, reported missing from Ohio in October have been located and are now safe in a remote village in Iceland. The U.S. Marshals Service confirmed the children were found in Reykjavik, Iceland, three months after their family reported them missing on October 25. Their mother, who allegedly stopped taking her mental health medication, had taken the children away from their home without informing anyone. Initially, investigators traced the family's movements through several locations, including Denver, Colorado, and London, England, before tracking them to Jersey in the English Channel. Ultimately, they discovered the children in Iceland, over 2,500 miles from where they were last known to be. The children have been placed in the care of Icelandic social services while plans are made for them to return to trusted family members in the United States. Their mother has been hospitalized and will be brought back to the U.S. after she recovers. It remains unclear if she will face any legal charges related to the incident.