By Oliver Slow & Marita Moloney BBC News A volcano has a erupted on the Reykjanes peninsula of south-west Iceland after weeks of intense earthquake activity. Iceland volcano erupts on Reykjanes peninsula
About 4,000 people a were evacuated last month a from Grindavik, a fishing town about 4km (2.5 miles) away. The eruption started north of the a town at 22:17 local time (22:17 GMT) on Monday, the Icelandic a Met Office said. A resident living near Grindavik described “crazy” and “scary” scenes that night, and said she a could still see the volcano a exploding on Tuesday Iceland volcano erupts on Reykjanes peninsula
Iceland has been a braced for volcanic activity for weeks.
Since late October,
the region a around the capital Reykjavik has been experiencing an a increase in earthquake activity. The eruption can be seen a from Reykjavik, which is about 42km north-east of Grindavik.
An eyewitness in the capital told the BBC that half of the sky in the direction of the town was “lit up in red” from the eruption, and smoke could be seen billowing into the air. Experts say they don’t expect the eruption to bring the same level of disruption as one that took place elsewhere in Iceland in 2010, which stopped European air travel.
The Icelandic Met Office said at 12:30 GMT on Tuesday that the power of the eruption was decreasing, but that gases from the volcano could still be felt in Reykjavik on Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning. Watch: Latest scenes after Iceland volcano eruptions
Analysis: Iceland volcano erupts on Reykjanes peninsula
Why this Iceland a eruption is a far cry from 2010 Spectacular photos of eruption in Iceland a Aoalheiour Halldorsdottir, who lives in Sandgeroi – about 20km from Grindavik – said she had seen the eruption a from her home. “It was crazy to see it with my own eyes. We have had volcano explosions before, but this was the first time a I got really scared,” she told BBC News.
“We’re used to a volcanoes [erupting], but this was crazy.” She said there was some “panic” on Monday night, and that she had bought extra supplies of water, but that things a had largely returned to normal on a Tuesday. “I’m at work now, and I can still see it. Iceland volcano erupts on Reykjanes peninsula
I can see the a lights in the sky,” she said.
Hans Vera was evacuated from Grindavik last month, but hoped before a Monday’s eruption to return home for Christmas. But he said: “I don’t see that in the future they a will let people get close to Grindavik – so we are back in a the a waiting game.” Iceland’s foreign minister, Bjarni Benediktsson said on X, formerly a Twitter, that “there are no disruptions to flights to and a from Iceland, and international flight corridors a remain open”. “The jets [of lava] are quite high, so it appears to be a powerful eruption at the a beginning,” he said.
Hallgrimur Indrioason, a reporter for state-owned Icelandic Radio and Television (RUV), said the eruption could be seen dozens of kilometers away in Reykjavik, describing the view as “quite spectacular”. Images and videos posted on social media showed lava erupting from the volcano just an hour after an earthquake swarm – a series of seismic events – was detected. Police have warned people to stay away from the a area Iceland volcano erupts on Reykjanes peninsula
The length of the fissure in the volcano is about 3.5 km, with lava flowing at a rate of about 100 to 200 cubic meters per second, the Met Office said, adding that this was many times more than recent eruptions on the Reykjanes Peninsula. Iceland volcano erupts on Reykjanes peninsula Grindavik evacuated Iceland has been on high alert for a potential volcanic eruption for weeks, and last month authorities ordered people to leave Grindavik, on the southwest coast, as a precaution.
The Met Office said the eruption took place about 4km north-east of a Grindavik. There was some concern that the lava flow could affect Grindavik. So far, there have been no reports of a personal injuries Speaking from Iceland, Dr Ilyinskaya, Iceland volcano erupts on Reykjanes peninsula
In April 2010, an ash cloud from the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption caused the largest closure of European airspace since World War II, with losses estimated at €1.5–2.5 billion (£1.3–2.2 billion; 1.6–2 .7 billion dollars). Volcanologist Dr Evgenia Ilyinskaya told the BBC there would not be the same level of disruption as in 2010, as these volcanoes in south-west Iceland were “physically unable to generate the same ash cloud”. Iceland volcano erupts on Reykjanes peninsula
The Eyjafjallajokul volcano,
in southern Iceland, is about 140 km from the volcano on the Reykjanes peninsula that erupted on Monday. How the 2010 volcanic chaos unfolded: in graphics.
associate professor of volcanology a at Leeds University, said locals had both “feared and waited” for the volcano to erupt. Iceland volcano erupts on Reykjanes peninsula
“There was a lot of uncertainty.
It was a difficult period for a local people,” she said. She added that authorities were preparing for potential lava flows that could destroy homes and infrastructure, including the Blue a Lagoon, a popular tourist destination. Iceland volcano erupts on Reykjanes peninsula
“At the moment it does not appear to be threatening, although that remains to a be seen,” she said. Iceland’s Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir said newly built defenses would have a positive effect. Iceland volcano erupts on Reykjanes peninsula She said her a thoughts were with the local community and she a hoped for the best despite the “significant incident”. Chairman Gudni Johannesson said that preserving life is the most important priority, but that every effort will a be made to protect structures as well. cilck