- A volcano has erupted on the Reykjanes peninsula of south-west Iceland after weeks of intense earthquake activity.
- Grindavik, a fishing village, had some 4,000 residents evacuated earlier, and the neighboring Blue Lagoon geothermal spa was shut down. According to the Icelandic Met Office, the eruption began north of the town around 22:17 local time (22:17 GMT).
- Since late October, there has been an uptick in earthquake activity in the area surrounding the capital, Reykjavik. Social media users captured images and videos of lava erupting from the volcano within an hour of the detection of seismic events, or an earthquake swarm.
- To verify the precise position and magnitude of the eruption, a coast guard helicopter has been dispatched to the region. According to the Met Office, Grindavik was around 4 km (2.5 miles) northeast of the eruption, and the town was being approached by the seismic activity.
- It further stated that the lava is streaming from the volcano at a rate of between 100 and 200 cubic meters per second, along a crack that is approximately 3.5 kilometers long. According to reports, this was a significant amount in comparison to earlier eruptions on the Reykjanes peninsula in recent memory.
- A senior police officer at the Civil Defence told national broadcaster RUV the eruption had happened quickly and appeared to be “quite a large event”. Vidir Reynisson said the lava appeared to be flowing in all directions from a large crack in the volcano.
- The eruption can be seen from Reykjavik, which is about 42km north-east of Grindavik.
- Iceland’s Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir said defences recently constructed would have a positive effect. She said her thoughts were with the local community and she was hoping for the best despite the “significant event”.
- A volcano has erupted on the Reykjanes peninsula of south-west Iceland after weeks of intense earthquake activity.
- Grindavik, a fishing village, had some 4,000 residents evacuated earlier, and the neighboring Blue Lagoon geothermal spa was shut down. According to the Icelandic Met Office, the eruption began north of the town around 22:17 local time (22:17 GMT).
- Since late October, there has been an uptick in earthquake activity in the area surrounding the capital, Reykjavik. Social media users captured images and videos of lava erupting from the volcano within an hour of the detection of seismic events, or an earthquake swarm.
- To verify the precise position and magnitude of the eruption, a coast guard helicopter has been dispatched to the region. According to the Met Office, Grindavik was around 4 km (2.5 miles) northeast of the eruption, and the town was being approached by the seismic activity.
- It further stated that the lava is streaming from the volcano at a rate of between 100 and 200 cubic meters per second, along a crack that is approximately 3.5 kilometers long. According to reports, this was a significant amount in comparison to earlier eruptions on the Reykjanes peninsula in recent memory.
- A senior police officer at the Civil Defence told national broadcaster RUV the eruption had happened quickly and appeared to be “quite a large event”. Vidir Reynisson said the lava appeared to be flowing in all directions from a large crack in the volcano.
- The eruption can be seen from Reykjavik, which is about 42km north-east of Grindavik.
- Iceland’s Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir said defences recently constructed would have a positive effect. She said her thoughts were with the local community and she was hoping for the best despite the “significant event”.
Source:
bbc
