New volcanic eruption jolts Iceland’s Reykjanes peninsula
Iceland volcano erupts for the 12th time since 2021, as lava bursts from a fissure following a series of earthquakes
A volcano erupted on Wednesday in southwest Iceland, authorities said, with live media images showing it belching smoke and dramatic flows of glowing hot yellow and orange lava, the latest in a series of outbreaks near the capital in recent years.
Often referred to as a land of ice and fire, the North Atlantic island nation with its many glaciers and volcanoes has now experienced a dozen eruptions since geological systems on its Reykjanes peninsula reactivated in 2021. A previous eruption occurred in April and lasted only a few days.
Magma forced through the earth’s crust opened a massive fissure of length between 700 metres and 1,000 metres, Iceland’s meteorological office said, with the first signs of the eruption giving scant warning.
“(It does) not threaten any infrastructure at this time,” the office said in a statement. “Based on GPS measurements and deformation signals, it is likely that this was a relatively small eruption.”
Flights at Keflavik airport in the capital of Reykjavik were not affected, its web page showed.
Public broadcaster RUV said people had been evacuated from the Blue Lagoon, a luxury geothermal spa resort, and the nearby town of Grindavik, citing police.