REYKJAVIK: A volcano erupted on Iceland’s Reykjanes peninsula in the southwest on Wednesday (July 16), marking the ninth such event in the region since late 2023, according to weather authorities.
Live footage showed lava spewing from a fissure in the ground, with the Icelandic Met Office saying the eruption began just before 4.00am local time (0400 GMT).
Later in the day, the weather agency reported that the main fissure stretched approximately 2.4 kilometres (1.5 miles), and a second smaller fissure of about 500 metres had opened nearby.
EVACUATIONS AND HEALTH WARNINGS
Residents were advised to stay indoors due to elevated gas pollution levels. The nearby fishing village of Grindavik and the popular Blue Lagoon tourist attraction were both evacuated, broadcaster RUV reported.
Police Commissioner Margret Kristin Palsdottir told RUV that around 100 people were evacuated from Grindavik and the operation had gone smoothly. She added that police had stopped some tourists from entering the danger zone.
“Of course, we understand that this is a fascinating event, especially for tourists who are not as accustomed to it as we are,” Palsdottir said.
ERUPTION CONSIDERED LESS SEVERE
Geophysicist Benedikt Ofeigsson told RUV the eruption appeared smaller than previous ones and was well-situated, as it was not close to any critical infrastructure.
A risk assessment released on Tuesday had predicted no new eruptions before the autumn. The last eruption in the area occurred in April.
When the first eruption hit in late 2023, most of Grindavik’s 4,000 residents were evacuated. Since then, nearly all of the town’s homes have been sold to the state and most residents have relocated.
LONG-DORMANT VOLCANIC REGION REAWAKENS
The Reykjanes peninsula had remained dormant for eight centuries until a period of increased seismic activity began in March 2021. Volcanologists have since warned that the region may be entering a new era of regular volcanic activity.
The latest eruption was not expected to impact international air travel, RUV said.
In contrast, a 2010 volcanic eruption in another part of Iceland caused widespread disruption after volcanic ash grounded flights across Europe.
Iceland sits atop the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a tectonic boundary that separates the Eurasian and North American plates. It is home to 33 active volcanic systems, the most of any country in Europe.
Comments are closed.