Residents of Grindavík commemorate one-year anniversary of emergency evacuation due to earthquakes and volcanic threat

Residents of Grindavík gathered today to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the town’s emergency evacuation due to significant earthquakes and the threat of volcanic eruption. The earthquakes had increased in intensity in the days and weeks leading up to the evacuation, culminating on the evening of November 10 last year, when a magma intrusion was detected beneath the town.

Eggert Sólberg Jónsson, the head of the leisure and culture department in Grindavík, recalled completing his workday last year by printing the town’s evacuation plan. He did not anticipate that it would be put into action, but just a few hours later, a mandatory evacuation was ordered. Since then, very few residents have returned to their homes.

Reflecting on that fateful day, Eggert expressed confidence that most residents vividly remember their activities and how the day unfolded. He shared, “Yes, I think we all remember what we were doing and how the day went.” The last task he performed before the evacuation was to approve the printed evacuation plan. He mentioned that a civil protection employee sitting beside him remarked that while it was good to have the plan ready, the chances of needing it were nearly nonexistent.

By around 11 PM that night, Grindavík was evacuated, and its residents were compelled to leave, with most not returning since. The anniversary serves as a poignant reminder of the challenges the community faced during a time of crisis.