A volcano close to Iceland’s capital erupted late on Wednesday for the seventh time in a 12 months, spewing fountains of lava and smoke, the nation’s meteorological workplace mentioned, however there have been no disruptions to air visitors or infrastructure.
The eruption began with little warning at 11:14 p.m. native time Wednesday and created a fissure slightly below two miles lengthy. The exercise is estimated to be significantly smaller than the earlier eruption in August, Iceland’s meteorological workplace that displays seismic exercise mentioned.
Social media livestreams from the world confirmed glowing scorching lava in vibrant yellow and orange shades capturing up into the evening sky.
The first indicators of an eruption had been recorded simply 45 minutes earlier than an enormous floor fissure was opened by magma forcing its method via the earth’s crust, Iceland’s meteorological workplace mentioned.
Authorities had beforehand warned of volcanic exercise as magma collected beneath the Reykjanes peninsula, some 20 miles southwest of the capital Reykjavik, the place the latest eruption ended solely on Sept. 6. However, there had been no noticeable enhance in seismic exercise in current weeks, the meteorological workplace mentioned.
“In the massive image, it is a bit smaller than the final eruption, and the eruption that occurred in May,” Magnús Tumi Guðmundsson, a professor of geophysics who flew over the scene with the Civil Protection company to watch the occasion, advised the nationwide RUV broadcaster.
The outbreaks on the Reykjanes peninsula, often called fissure eruptions, haven’t instantly affected the capital metropolis and don’t trigger important dispersals of ash into the stratosphere, avoiding air visitors disruption.
Reykjavik’s Keflavik Airport mentioned on its web site that flights had been unaffected and no essential infrastructure was at risk, however the Blue Lagoon, a luxurious geothermal spa resort, had shut down and evacuated its friends, RUV mentioned.
The close by fishing city of Grindavik, residence to just about 4,000 residents earlier than an evacuation order in December final 12 months, stays principally abandoned because of the periodic menace from lava flows.
There was no indication that lava was flowing in the direction of the city, however some 50 homes occupied by individuals who have returned had been evacuated, the civil safety company mentioned in a press release.
“Grindavík will not be at risk because it appears and it’s unlikely that this crack will get any longer, though nothing could be dominated out,” Magnús Tumi mentioned.
Iceland, with its 400,000 inhabitants, sits above a volcanic scorching spot within the North Atlantic and averages one eruption each 4 to 5 years. The most disruptive in current instances was the 2010 eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano, which spewed clouds of ash into the ambiance and disrupted trans-Atlantic air journey for months.
Lying dormant for 800 years, the geological programs within the space reactivated in 2021 and have since erupted at rising frequency, with the newest outbreak being the sixth thus far in 2024.
Experts have warned that Reykjanes is prone to expertise repeated volcanic outbreaks for many years, presumably even centuries.