On Monday, the Meteorological Office (IMO) of the country Iceland said that a volcano had erupted on the Reykjanes peninsula in southwest Iceland. It is close to the capital Reykjavik, and it resulted in severe earthquake activity in the region.
After an Icelandic volcano erupted, red-hot lava gushed forth, enthralling tourists and onlookers who were seen admiring the breathtaking scene. The eruption is about 30 kilometers (19 miles) southwest of Reykjavik. It is an unpopulated valley close to the Litli-Hrtur mountain.
However, the area is a little close to Keflavik Airport, Iceland’s international air traffic center. The region, generally known as Fagradalsfjall volcano, has erupted twice in the past two years without causing damage or delaying flights. All flights-aside from those carrying scientists and first responders-are forbidden within a three-mile radius of volcanic eruptions.
The most recent eruption coincides with an increase in local seismic activity.
In the week before the eruption, thousands of minor tremors were registered in the region. It indicates that magma beneath the ground was moving, and an eruption was about to occur.
Avoid visiting the site before assessing the situation, the Icelandic authorities urged.
The unverified video circulating on social media shows a significant flow of lava and a huge cloud of smoke rising from the ground. One could see the smoke from the capital to the international airport from the route.
Considering this, a tweet has been made “A volcano is erupting for the 3rd year in a row on the Reykjanes Peninsula, near Iceland’s capital Reykjavik. Today marks 323 days since the 2022 eruption ended. The interval between the eruptions of 2021 and 2022 was 319 days….”
In a video posted on Twitter by the news agency AFP, people can be seen standing close to the eruption site while wearing multiple layers of winter clothes to view the activity. The footage, which was captured on a windy day, shows bluish smoke rising from the scene and blazing red lava erupting from the ground. Additionally, a person is spotted taking photos of the event. As the volcano’s lava erupts, a loud roar is audible in the distance.
The 370,000-person island nation, which is barely populated, is located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Additionally, it is home to many volcanic phenomena. In the past, large eruptions have wreaked destruction well outside of Iceland.
Rescue teams and police flocked to the location on Wednesday to examine the threat and potential for gas contamination, and they warned against going.
Gudni Johannesson, the president of Iceland, who was unintentionally traveling close by when Wednesday’s explosion took place, reiterated that plea.
“I simply urge people to exercise caution and gain more knowledge before venturing into the unknown. There is no need to rush, he told the English-language Iceland Monitor, “If this eruption is anything like the last one, there will be plenty of time.”
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