OSLO – The Reykjanes volcano in southwestern Iceland erupted on Monday, spewing lava and smoke into the air, after weeks of intense seismic activity, the country’s Meteorological Office said.
Fearing a major outbreak on the Reykjanes Peninsula, authorities evacuated the nearly 4,000 residents of the fishing village of Grindavik last month and closed the nearby Blue Lagoon geothermal spa.
“Warning: The eruption started north of Grindavik near Hagafell,” the Met Office said on its website.
A local resident watches smoke rise as lava turns the night sky orange due to a volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes Peninsula, 3 km north of Grindavik, western Iceland, on December 18, 2023. AFP via Getty Images An Icelandic Coast Guard helicopter is seen flying near magma running on a hill near Grindavik on Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula on December 19. AP
Footage and a Reuters livestream showed molten rocks gushing like fountains from fissures in the ground, their bright yellow and orange colors contrasting starkly with the dark night sky.
Icelandic police said they had raised their alert level as a result of the outbreak and the country’s civil defense warned the public not to approach the area while emergency personnel assessed the situation.
Local residents watch smoke rise as lava turns the sky orange due to the volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes Peninsula on December 19, 2023. AFP via Getty Images
A coastguard helicopter would be in the air shortly to confirm the exact location and size of the eruption, the Met Office said.
Nearby Reykjavik International Airport remained open.
“At the moment, there are no disruptions to arrivals or departures at Keflavík Airport,” it said on its website.
More angles are shown of the Reykjanes volcano erupting in southwestern Iceland on Monday. HANDOUT/AFP via Getty Images
In recent years, the Reykjanes Peninsula has seen several eruptions in unpopulated areas, but the latest outbreak could pose a risk to the city of Grindavik, officials said.
Locals watch the eruption of a volcano on the Reykjanes Peninsula near the power station on December 18, 2023 north of Grindavik, Iceland. Getty Images “Warning: The eruption has started north of Grindavik near Hagafell,” the Met Office said on its website. Footage from the Icelandic Meteorological Office and a live stream showed molten rocks spewing like fountains from fissures in the ground, their bright yellow and orange colors contrasting sharply with the dark night sky. Associated Press
The area had experienced thousands of earthquakes in the past two months, but the magnitudes had decreased in the last week, leading some experts to think the risk of an eruption had decreased.
Reykjanes is a volcanic and seismic point southwest of the capital, Reykjavik. In March 2021, lava fountains spectacularly erupted from a 500 to 750 meter long fissure in the ground in the Fagradalsfjall volcanic system.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn