After a volcanic eruption in Iceland, masses of lava continue to flow and spout from a canyon hundreds of meters long southwest of Reykjavik. Live images (see video above) on Thursday showed red-hot lava pouring non-stop from the ground on the Reykjanes Peninsula. White smoke rose from it, as the rock around it then formed a partly flowing, partly frozen gray mass. None of this caused concern – on the contrary: a few interested people went to the sparsely populated area to see the natural spectacle on site. The Icelandic government also remained calm. She spoke of a “relatively small” volcanic eruption.
“We are expecting an eruption somewhere in this area since the start of a series of earthquakes last weekend,” Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir said. “What we know so far is that the eruption poses no risk to populated areas or critical infrastructure.” The government added that there have been no flight disruptions so far – apparently also in view of the large eruption on the volcanic glacier Eyjafjallajökull, which took place in 2010 Days had thrown international air traffic into chaos.
Eruption was expected after earthquake
The volcanic eruption started Wednesday afternoon in a valley near Mount Fagradalsfjall. Such an eruption took place in the area last year. Normally, such an eruption is represented as lava shooting up into the air at the top of a cone-shaped volcano – not so on the Reykjanes Peninsula: instead, the liquid rock flows there from an elongated fissure, currently about 300 meters long. According to the first measurements, significantly more lava erupted from the earth in the early hours than at the start of the 2021 eruption.
Scientists had expected an imminent eruption because of the series of earthquakes that began Saturday and the accompanying underground magma movements. Hundreds of tremors were also recorded after the eruption, but less and less strong than before, as the Icelandic Weather Authority wrote.
Duration of the natural spectacle unclear
It is not yet clear how long the outbreak will last. The eruption the previous year had caused lava fountains to skyrocket for nearly half a year. The natural spectacle had attracted many volcanologists, hikers and travelers.
This time again, the first interested people made their way to the area, which is only about 30 kilometers southwest of Reykjavik. Thousands of people would have been there already. A helicopter pilot told radio station RÚV that the number of requests for helicopter flights had skyrocketed. However, the airspace above the volcano is still closed.
Authorities warn hikers
Authorities warned potential hikers about the gas development in the area. For this reason, the government also advised against visiting the outbreak site. Police also pointed to the many miles to the lava: this is only for experienced hikers, Iceland chief police officer Vídir Reynisson said, according to RÚV broadcaster.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
