New risk assessment for people's safety in Grindavík available on the municipality's website
The findings from the first phase of a revised risk assessment for people's safety in Grindavík are now available. The assessment covers built-up areas within the protective barriers in Grindavík. The Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management of the National Commissioner of the Icelandic Police is responsible for preparing and publishing the assessment in cooperation with Grindavík's Civil Protection Committee.
The findings and supporting data are published on the Civil Protection website. A website operated on behalf of the municipality of Grindavík provides information on the current status of the risk assessment and the measures on which it depends.
“The conclusion is that people's safety in Grindavík is comparable to that of people in other Icelandic communities exposed to long-term natural hazards, provided that essential safety measures, monitoring and preparedness remain effective. Under these conditions, the everyday safety of people staying or working in Grindavík is considered acceptable, as is safety during evacuations and return,” state the findings of the revised risk assessment for Grindavík.
The risk assessment is intended to indicate how safe it is to be in Grindavík at any given time. Civil Protection is responsible for updating the assessment when conditions change. The Icelandic Meteorological Office's hazard assessment is one of the inputs to the risk assessment. It describes hazards that are present or may arise as a result of the ongoing accumulation of magma beneath Svartsengi.
The risk assessment also takes account of weather conditions at any given time. Adverse weather can affect both evacuation routes and the sensitivity of the Icelandic Meteorological Office's monitoring network. As a result, warnings may be issued with very little advance notice, affecting the time available for evacuation and, consequently, the risk assessment.
“A dynamic risk assessment for Grindavík is a very positive step, and the Icelandic Meteorological Office welcomes the work that has been carried out. We are in dialogue with Civil Protection about developing procedures to ensure that it works effectively. This is a necessary addition to the hazard assessment published by the Icelandic Meteorological Office to assess conditions in Grindavík,” says Hildigunnur H. H. Thorsteinsson, Director General of the Icelandic Meteorological Office.
Sara Barsotti, Head of the Volcanic Activity and Volcanic Hazards Division at the Icelandic Meteorological Office, emphasises the need to review the risk assessment when monitoring conditions change.
“What matters most is that this risk assessment is dynamic, meaning that it is reviewed, for example, when adverse weather makes monitoring difficult. These are among the issues that need careful consideration, along with the mitigation measures to be taken if conditions prevent warnings from being issued in time,” says Sara.
Hildigunnur points out that conditions in Grindavík differ from those in many other communities.
“We agree with the statement on the new risk assessment website that natural hazards in Grindavík, including volcanic activity and ground movements, pose an imminent threat around the clock, all year round. This makes conditions in the town different from those in most other communities where exposure to natural hazards is temporary or seasonal. This has created a range of challenges. At the Icelandic Meteorological Office, we have highlighted the considerable knowledge and experience gained through research, monitoring and response to volcanic activity on the Reykjanes Peninsula in recent years. It is important to use this knowledge to strengthen community safety and resilience, so that we are better equipped to live with natural hazards wherever we are in Iceland,” says Hildigunnur.
