Iceland Constructs Protective Wall to Safeguard Power Plant Against Lava Flow

Icelandic authorities are constructing protective walls around a geothermal power plant in the southwest of the country to safeguard it from potential lava flows. The move comes as scientists warn of an impending volcanic eruption. The Reykjanes peninsula, near the capital Reykjavik, has experienced a surge in seismic activity with nearly 800 earthquakes recorded. This has raised concerns that an eruption may occur. As a precautionary measure, authorities evacuated thousands of people from the nearby fishing town of Grindavik last Saturday. The power plant, which supplies electricity to the entire country, is located just over 6km from Grindavik. A large barrier is being built to divert any flowing magma away from the plant. HS Orka, the plant's operator, assured that despite these precautions, the capital's power supply would not be affected. The Icelandic Meteorological Institute stated that while seismic activity decreased slightly on Monday, there is still a high probability of an eruption. Rikke Pedersen, head of the Nordic Volcanological Centre, emphasized that a decrease in activity does not guarantee that an eruption is not imminent. Over the weekend, approximately 3,000 residents of Grindavik were temporarily relocated due to earthquakes in the area. Authorities briefly allowed small groups of residents to return to collect their belongings but ultimately evacuated everyone as sulphur dioxide was detected, raising concerns of magma nearing the surface.