In Iceland this week lava from a volcano on the outskirts of the town of Grindavik flowed for the second time in a month. The volcano consumed several houses and now, coupled with other recent eruptions in the region, experts are saying that the Icelandic fault line has awoken.
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00:00 (upbeat music)
00:02 This was the scene in Iceland this week,
00:06 as the lava from a volcano on the outskirts
00:08 of the town of GrindavĂk,
00:10 flowed for the second time in a month.
00:12 The volcano consumed several houses,
00:14 and now, coupled with their other recent eruptions
00:16 in the region, experts are saying
00:18 that the Icelandic fault line has awoken.
00:20 The island nation has always been known
00:22 for its volcanic activity,
00:23 but volcanologists say it has been relatively quiet
00:26 for around 800 years.
00:27 However, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge,
00:29 or the oceanic crack which separates the Eurasian
00:32 and North American tectonic plates,
00:34 sits right underneath Iceland.
00:36 And experts say, if it has become active once again,
00:38 that could spell more volcanoes in the area
00:40 than anyone living there has ever experienced.
00:43 With volcanologist Patrick Allard saying, quote,
00:45 "After eight centuries of a relative break
00:48 "and a complete cessation of surface activity,
00:50 "we have entered a new episode of plate separation,
00:53 "which could last several years, possibly decades."
00:56 Iceland entered a new era in 2021,
00:58 with the geological landscape literally changing
01:01 due to a magma chamber building some two
01:03 to six miles under the ground.
01:04 However, these most recent eruptions occurred
01:06 with much less seismic activity than one would expect,
01:09 meaning that magma is likely much closer
01:11 to the surface now and ready to flow.
01:14 (upbeat music)
01:16 (upbeat music)
01:19 (upbeat music)