The port of Grindavík on the south coast of Iceland was evacuated at the weekend as the threat of a volcanic eruption on a fault line running beneath the town became overwhelming.
Residents were evacuated at the weekend, and operations are underway to retrieve as much property as possible from the town before the expected eruption. The south-west of Iceland has seen a number of spectacular eruptions in resent years, but this is the first time in fifty years (since the 1973 Westman Islands eruption) that a settlement has been undr serious threat.
There has been a series of earthquakes in recent days that has damaged roads and infrastructure.
These have tailed off, and in the most recent events, seismic activity diminishing has been a precursor to an eruption.
Grindavík is an important fishing port and a processing hub. One of the main employers is fishing and processing company Vísir, which is owned by Síldarvinnslan.
In a statement to the stock exchange, Síldarvinnslan CEO Gunnthór Ingvason stated that Vísir has been active in following the guidelines and taking precautions laid down by the civil defence authorities and the scientists studying the volcanic activity.
‘These primarily concerned the effects of damage to infrastructure outside Grindavík, such as electricity and geothermal hot water. It is clear that there have been developments in other directions in recent days,’ he stated.
‘The situation does not affect fishing activities, but fish processing in Grindavík has come to a halt. Managers are working on responses to these events and will take decisions based on coming developments.’
He stated that the company has been in touch with its insurers and has guarentees that the company’s assets in Grindavík are insured for any possible damage as a result of the volcanic activity.
‘The company’s managers are focused on the wellbeing of staff and maintaining contact with them,’ Gunnthór Ingvason said.
Efforts are being made to remove both processed seafood and fish from the site, and the fleet that normally lands its fish to Grindavík will be landing elsewhere. Offshore, Coastguard vessel Thór is standing by to assist in getting the remaining fishing vessels from the harbour of Grindavík, and also ready to supply electrical power to the town if required.
