Eruptions at Sundhnúksgígur require substantial water for cooling efforts in Iceland

Eruptions at Sundhnúksgígur require substantial water for cooling the lava flow, estimated at around 26,000 liters per minute. The cooling efforts near the Svartsengi protective barriers are progressing well, with expectations for continued cooling over the coming days.

Helgi Hjörleifsson, the lava cooling manager, reported a successful start to the cooling operations, which began last night. The team has mobilized two large pumps, with one at full capacity and the other operating at half. They plan to maintain this cooling effort as long as conditions allow, depending on any future developments or requests to halt the operation.

The cooling process is supported by the nearby geothermal facility, which provides ample water. However, challenges persist due to the cold weather and strong winds, which may affect visibility. Despite the challenging conditions, Helgi expressed gratitude for the dedicated team working on the cooling project, emphasizing the invaluable assistance of skilled personnel involved.

Helgi’s team is also utilizing drones to monitor the situation and assess the effectiveness of their cooling efforts amid the steam rising from the operation. He highlighted the importance of community support and teamwork in tackling this complex task, noting that without such skilled collaboration, this initiative would have been impossible. The operations are crucial for controlling the lava flow that threatens local infrastructure and resources.