20/12/2023
The current eruption is called Sundhnjúkagígaröð eruption. It started just after 10 pm 18 December (2 days ago) and is still going. The amount of magma coming out of it right now is only 5 cubic meters per second instead of 400 at the start.
As the picture shows the eruption is far from the town of Grindavik (pop 4000). It is very unlikely that the lava from this eruption is going to flow into town and destroy it. For this to happen the eruption would have to carry on for a very very long time, or for another crack to form closer to town. Both scenarios are possible but unlikely in the near future.
Sad thing is that tourists are not allowed to visit the eruption for now - for safety reasons. In spite of the fact that the eruption seems safe to visit and it is very close to a major road. Large earth moving machines are in the area building a protective wall around the Blue lagoon spa and Svartsengi power station. It would be an easy and not very expensive job to make a proper path to the eruption site.
Most people are preparing for Christmas with their families including the volunteer rescue workers who in the past have monitored the paths leading the three last eruptions in the area, i.e. 2021, 2022 and earlier in 2023. They cannot be expected to monitor the area over the holidays. Also, one never knows about the weather in mid winter, and there is a possibility that the eruption will make it to the surface elsewhere.
Eruption is getting smaller. Is only 5 instead of 400 cubic meters at the start. You can see how far away from the town it is.