Eruption in Iceland may be entering its final stages

The eruption at Fagradalsfjall has been very tourist-friendly, being only …

The eruption at Fagradalsfjall has been very tourist-friendly, being only a short drive from the capital. mbl.is/Kristinn Magnússon

The flow of lava at the Fagradalsfjall eruption site in Iceland has been decreasing for the past three weeks. This indicates a fall in magna pressure and could mean that the eruption may soon be over.

Mbl.is, quoting measurements made by the Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland, says that between July 2nd and July 19th the average flow of lava at Fagradalsfjall was around 7.5 cubic meters per second compared to just over 10 cubic meters in the period from June 26th to July 2nd.

Since the eruption started on March 19th some 96 million cubic meters of lava have covered the surrounding landscape, with a surface are of approximately four square kilometres.

Since late June the lava flow has been sporadic, and the average flow rate is now around 60-65% of what is was in May and June, indicating that the eruption may be entering its final phase. The specialists at the Institute of Earth Sciences say they are unable predict exactly how much longer the eruption will last. ai@mbl.is

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