New volcanic eruption in Iceland: lava puts the heating network of homes at risk

John

By John

The mayor of the town of Reykjanesbær, Kjartan Már Kjartansson, said that preparations are underway to address the inconvenience to the population caused by lava flowing on the service line providing heating in Svartsengi due to the new volcanic eruption that began this morning on the Reykjanes peninsula in southwest Iceland, the third in the region since December 18. The Morgunbladid reports it.

«There is a huge amount of lava in the area, there is a great danger that the lava reaches the heating diffusion pipeline, which could lead to a lack of hot water in Sudurnes and neighboring municipalities. If there is no hot water, the houses will probably get cold,” the mayor said. In the area today the thermometer is minus five degrees. Hot lava erupted from a new fissure on Iceland’s Reykjanes peninsula in the early hours of the day. The images show plumes of lava and smoke pouring out of the crack that extends for about three kilometers. The site is located about 40 kilometers southwest of the Icelandic capital Reykjavik.