A volcano erupts in southwest Iceland weeks after the earthquake

2023-12-19 2023-12-19T18:36:33Z

Arab Weather - A volcano eruption in Iceland continues on Tuesday after lava flowed throughout the night, following weeks of seismic activity southwest of the capital, Reykjavik, and the volcano began on the Reykjanes Peninsula on Monday at around 10:17 pm local time after a series of earthquakes, according to an announcement. Icelandic Meteorological Institute.

A live broadcast of the volcano showed glowing lava rising from the ground surrounded by clouds of red smoke, and Prime Minister Katrin Jakobstodter indicated that there appeared to be a major eruption.

For weeks, Iceland has been expecting a volcanic eruption on the peninsula southwest of the capital. Due to severe seismic activity, which prompted the authorities to evacuate thousands of people and close the Blue Lagoon Thermal Resort, known for its turquoise waters.

The Meteorological Authority estimates that the volcano has created a rift about four kilometers long, with its southern tip located only three kilometers from the fishing town of Grindavik, where in the early hours of the morning the strength of the eruption stabilized, but its “activity is declining” and it has not been determined how long this might continue. The head of the Civil Protection Agency urged people to stay away from the area, stressing that the volcanic eruption is not a tourist event.

Despite fears of the impact of the volcanic eruption on travel, the company "Isavia" , which is responsible for operating airports in Iceland, confirmed that "at the present time, there are no disturbances in arrival or departure flights at Keflavik Airport", the main airport in the country, which is located near The capital, Reykjavik.

Warnings of volcanic eruption

In a new era witnessing the Reykjanes Peninsula, thousands of earthquakes have been recorded since October, indicating the imminent possibility of a volcanic eruption, and on November 11, the residents of the village of Grindavík, with a population of 4,000 people, were evacuated based on scientists’ reports about the movement of... Magma beneath the area.

Village residents reported to Agence France-Presse that there had been a series of light tremors, sometimes reaching hundreds per day, causing damage to roads and buildings. Since then, residents have been prohibited from visiting their homes except at specific times during the day.

The authorities organized trips to accompany residents to the village to collect their belongings, including animals, furniture, clothes and photo albums. As it contains 33 active volcanoes, Iceland is considered the European country most distinguished by volcanic activities.

The Reykjanes Peninsula south of Reykjavik remained a safe haven from volcanic eruption for eight centuries, but this long hibernation ended in March 2021 with an initial eruption, followed by another in August 2022 and a third in July 2023.

Volcanologists indicate that these events may be the beginning of a new era of seismic activity in the region. In April 2010, clouds resulting from the eruption of the Eyavijöll volcano caused the cancellation of more than 100,000 flights in Europe, which cast a shadow on passenger traffic.