ArabiaWeather - The Icelandic Meteorological Authority announced last Thursday the start of a volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwestern Iceland, the third in the region since last December.
The authority’s statement said: “At 5:30 a.m. on Thursday morning, a small, intense seismic activity began northeast of Selingarfell, and about 30 minutes later, a volcanic eruption followed in the same area.”
The authority indicated that the crack extends about three kilometers, based on the Coast Guard’s initial assessment.
Reykjanes erupting! pic.twitter.com/1O4iKtNqq2
— Bjorn Steinbekk (@BSteinbekk) February 8, 2024
Video clips on social media platforms recorded lava flowing from a rift, as Iceland has more than 30 active volcanoes, the highest number in Europe, and is located on the central edge of the Atlantic Ocean, an area that separates the European and North American tectonic plates.
Before March 2021, the Reykjanes Peninsula had not witnessed any volcanic eruption for 8 centuries, and eruptions were recorded in August 2022, July and December 2023, which prompted volcano experts to indicate that what is likely happening is the beginning of a new era of activity in the region.
Read also:
More than a thousand tremors in just 24 hours in Iceland and expectations of a volcanic eruption
A volcano erupts in southwest Iceland weeks after the earthquake
Sources:
Arabia Weather App
Download the app to receive weather notifications and more..