About 500 people now have a regular, permanent presence in Grindavík, the fishing town on Iceland’s Southern Peninsula that was evacuated in November 2023 because of volcanic activity. This marks a significant change from the pre-evacuation population, which was estimated at about 3,700. The story was first reported by mbl.is.
The returning residents describe a changed town. According to mbl.is, Grindavík no longer has the lively, diverse social life it was known for before the evacuation. Many aspects of daily life have altered, with fewer people and less community activity.
Otti Rafn Sigmarsson, one of the returning residents, said, “Resilience, resourcefulness and optimism are decisive in the reconstruction here.” (translated from Icelandic)
Background
Grindavík is a fishing town in the Southern Peninsula district of Iceland, located near the volcanic mountain Þorbjörn. The town has a harbour on the coast, and most residents traditionally work in the fishing industry. Its best-known attraction, the Blue Lagoon, is located 5 kilometres from the town. The November 2023 evacuation was prompted by nearby volcanic activity.
Sources
- mbl.is (first reported) in Icelandic
Image: Jakub Hałun / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · licence, original (resized) Illustrative image.
