OSLO: A volcano in Iceland’s southwest region erupted on Monday, spilling lava and smoke into the air, after weeks of activity, the country’s Meteorological Office said.
Authorities fearing a significant outbreak on the Reykjanes peninsula, last month evacuated nearly 4,000 inhabitants of the town of Grindavik and shut down the nearby Blue Lagoon geothermal spa.
The Met Office on its website warned that eruption has started north of Grindavik by Hagafell.
Images and a livestream broadcast by the media showed molten rock flowing on the ground. Bright-yellow and orange colors can be seen the dark night sky.
Alert issued because of volcano eruption
According to the Icelandic police they had raised alert level as a result of the volcano eruption. The country’s civil defense has also warned the public not to go to the area while emergency personnel evaluate the situation.
The Met Office said a coast guard helicopter was going to confirm the exact location and size of the volcanic eruption. Reykjavik’s international airport, which is nearby the volcanic eruption remained open.
It said there is no disruptions to arrivals or departures at Keflavík Airport.
The authorities have said the Reykjanes peninsula in recent years saw many eruptions in unpopulated regions of the country.
In the last two months the area had seen thousands of earthquakes but the magnitudes had declined in recent weeks.
Reykjanes is a volcanic and seismic area near the capital Reykjavik. In March 2021, lava erupted from a1,640-2,460-foot-long fissure in the ground in the volcanic system of Fagradalsfjall.
