9th April 2025

Media reporting – Civil Protection level: Uncertainty level

The brief eruption has now been completed but the seismicity is still measured in the area but is slowly decreasing.

The eruption that started at 9:44 AM on April 1, 2025 ended at 16:45 AM on the same day and lasted for about 6 hours, making it the shortest eruption in this eruption cycle on the Sundhnúksgíga ridge. There are clear signs of landris in Svartsengi and it is detected more rapidly now than in the wake of the last eruptions.

The Met Office updated the hazard assessment for the area yesterday, see hazard assessment map in the link. Changes have occurred in almost all areas since the last assessment. Area 3 (Sundhnúksgígaröðin) is moving from high hazard (red on the map) to high hazard (orange on the map).

Area 4 (Grindavík) and areas 5, 6 and 7 are moving from a considerable risk (orange on the map) to a small risk (yellow on the map). Although the risk level in these areas has been lowered, there is still a significant risk of a landslide into fissures. Area 1 is still a small risk (yellow on the map). The risk assessment will be valid until 15 April, at 15 am, unchanged. The risk assessment therefore includes changes, see:

The National Commissioner of the Icelandic Police in consultation with the Chief of Police in Suðurnes decided after noon yesterday to move the Civil Protection level from a crisis level to an uncertain level. A press release on the change in the Civil Protection level was published on the Civil Protection website at 16:37 yesterday. See on the URL:

The Commission for the Ground Warning in Grindavík City updated the risk assessment for the urban area in Grindavík on April 2nd, among other things, but the results are as follows. The risk assessment was published on the website of Civil Protection at the following address:

“On the basis of the risk assessment carried out by the engineering department, which takes into account the Met Office’s hazard assessment and the defence measures that are in place and are constantly being worked on, the Commission and the Department of Civil Protection conclude that the risks to all parties are very high, which means that the defence against dangers is in place but there is a high risk of serious events. Therefore people other than first responders and those who are working for the sake of their jobs need to be on the road in Grindavík, so people are not expected to be in the area.

The risk assessment of the engineering firm Örugg is carried out for three areas, i.e. 1) eruption/explosion area, 2) Svartsengi and 3) Grindavík (urban area). The assessment is carried out for four groups, i.e. 1) responders, consultants and contractors, 2) residents, 3) companies and 4) external parties and tourists.

In Grindavík the risk is estimated to be high for responders, consultants and contractors, very high for residents and businesses and unacceptable for outsiders and tourists. In the Svartsengi area the risk is estimated to be moderate for responders, consultants and contractors but high for businesses, outsiders and tourists. In the eruption/explosion area the risk is however unacceptable for all parties. It is recommended that non-responsive persons do not enter the eruption/explosion area.

Every morning, and during the day, there are checks to see if any defences have worked and if they have been repaired where necessary.

The risk assessment shall be valid until a new risk assessment is issued.

The Chief of Police has opened all traffic to and from Grindavík in consultation with his response parties. He considers the risk into the urban area in Grindavík acceptable under current conditions. The risk is however considerable for everyone into the eruption/explosion area.

Residents and employees of companies stay in a danger zone on their own responsibility. Each must be responsible for their own actions or inaction. The same applies to tourists. Bad weather and bad conditions reduce the safety of people entering danger zones while affecting the monitoring capacity of the Icelandic Met Office.
The Chief of Police recommends that people look at the accompanying hazard assessment map from the Icelandic Met Office. He also recommends that people familiarize themselves with the content of the Chief of Police’s press release, which was sent out on April 2nd.
Countermeasures are and have been in place within the crisis areas, which include raising the level of dikes, mapping, geological surveys, geological surveys and visual inspections. In addition, cracks have been cordoned off.

In the area south of Vogar and Reykjanesbraut, explosives have been searched for in the past. The area is considered to be contaminated by active and passive bombs that can cause human loss if they explode, but temperature or movement can affect the area. Location within 300 meters from the center of a large bomb can cause human loss. The area contains cannonballs, mortars and training bombs. It is only for explosives experts to assess the condition and type of these bombs. Furthermore, no detailed information is available on the spread or size of this area, but the Icelandic Coast Guard has drawn the map below for information. In this area, responders and others must stay at marked walking trails. This danger is highlighted by signs that have been standing at the beginning of walking routes for decades. Locals and outdoors people who have walked around the area are known. It is necessary to raise awareness of these facts. It is the police chief's recommendation to tourists and those who provide information to foreign tourists to communicate this information to tourists. Travelers must stay at marked walking routes and trails. There are no organized parking spaces nor any viewing facilities. Drivers do not park cars on and around Reykjanesbraut. The same applies to Grindavíkurvegur.

Conditions inside and outside of danger zones can change with little notice. In addition, dangers can be hidden outside the designated areas.

To raise awareness of the dangers, three warning whistles have been set up in Grindavík. One at the Blue Lagoon and another at HS energy in Svartsengi. They have been used with good results.

Emergency responders are working in Grindavík and police and firefighters are carrying out mandatory checks in the town as has been the case.

Useful information is on the website of the town of Grindavík on the site, then it is pointed to the website of the Icelandic Met Office on the site and the website of Civil Protection on the site.

Those who are visiting a danger zone are advised to visit the website of the Environment Agency of Iceland, at the following address: It also contains good instructions. Information is also available on the website of the Directorate of Health, at the following address: and the website of the Administration of Occupational Safety and Health, at the following address:

The press release will be updated on or before 15 April 2025, as applicable.

This is hereby announced.