A volcano in southwest Iceland erupted yesterday, the weather service said, spewing red-hot lava and smoke in its sixth eruption since December, reported Reuters, quoted by BTA.
Studies have already shown that magma is building up underground and warnings of new volcanic activity have been issued in the area, located just outside the Icelandic capital Reykjavik.
The most recent eruption of the volcano on the Reykjanes Peninsula, home to about 30,000 people, or nearly 8 percent of the country's population, ended on June 22 after spewing fountains of molten lava for 24 days.
„An eruption has begun. "Work is underway to establish the exact location of the eruption," said the Icelandic Meteorological Service, which is in charge of monitoring volcanoes.
The total length of the fissure from which the current eruption is being seen is about 3.9 kilometers and has grown by 1.5 kilometers in about 40 minutes, the weather service said.
A live TV feed from the volcano on the Reykjanes peninsula showed glowing hot lava gushing from the ground.
Public broadcaster RUV reported, citing local police, that the area had been successfully evacuated.
Flights are unaffected, Keflavik Airport in Reykjavik said on its website. But a nearby luxury geothermal spa and hotel said it had closed and evacuated its guests.
The eruptions show the challenge facing the island nation of nearly 400,000 people. Scientists warn that the Reykjanes Peninsula may have active volcanic eruptions for decades or even centuries.
Since 2021, there have been nine eruptions on the peninsula, following the reactivation of geological systems that had been dormant for 800 years.
Authorities have built artificial barriers to divert lava flows away from critical infrastructure, including a geothermal power plant, an outdoor spa and the town of Grindavik.
Grindavik is home to nearly 4,000 people and is one of Iceland's key fishing ports. The town has been largely abandoned since late last year, when residents were first ordered to evacuate.
The volcanic foci on the Reykjanes peninsula are of the so-called fissure eruptions, which usually do not disrupt air traffic because they do not cause large explosions or significant dispersal of ash into the stratosphere.
There are more than 30 active volcanoes in Iceland, so the country is a prime destination for volcano tourism, which attracts thrill seekers.