Intense footage shows desperate attempts to stop lava from erupting volcano spreading any further
Topics: Iceland, World News, Floyd Mayweather, News
Lucy Devine
Featured Image Credit: YouTube/Live from Iceland
Topics: Iceland, World News, Floyd Mayweather, News
Mind-boggling footage shows the moment authorities desperately try to stop volcano lava from spreading in Iceland.
In the intense footage, a gigantic flow of lava can be seen spreading through a road in Iceland, just outside of the town of Grindavik.
It's the third time the region has experienced an eruption in recent months, with the activity first beginning on Thursday (February 8).
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In the clip, the orange lava and billowing smoke can be seen engulfing the roads as crews desperately attempt to control it.
In one video, the lava comes dangerously close to a digger truck, while another clip shows the lava bursting a hot water pipeline, which spills out onto the highways.
According to the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO), seismic activity began at around 5.30am, while the eruption started around half an hour later.
You can watch a clip below:
Although it's not currently believed that the eruption will impact the town of Grindavík, the region was already been evacuated at the end of last year, following earthquake activity.
This led to an eruption on December 18 followed by a second eruption in January, in which homes were destroyed due to lava making its way to the southwestern town.
Luckily residents had already evacuated.
This week's eruption, however, has affected hot water supplies in the region, due to the pipeline that was destroyed in the road.
Iceland’s Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management declared a state of emergency on Thursday and residents have been urged to conserve water and electricity.
Officials have also said that only one electric oven can be used per household.
"If everyone starts the ovens at the same time, the system can fail," a news release said.
"It is therefore important that residents follow instructions and only use one electrical stove for heating."
In addition, popular tourist attraction Blue Lagoon - a geothermal spa in southwestern Iceland - has also been evacuated and temporarily closed as a precautionary measure.
"Due to a volcanic eruption that commenced on the morning of February 8, we took the precautionary measure of evacuating and temporarily closing all our operational units," the statement reads.
"... All guests with bookings during this temporary closure period will be contacted.
"... We will continue to closely follow the guidelines and recommendations of the authorities, working collaboratively with them to monitor the progression of events. This commitment aligns with our unwavering dedication to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our valued guests and staff."