Volcano on Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula erupts for the 7th time in a year

GRINDAVIK – A volcano on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwestern Iceland has erupted for the seventh time since December.

The eruption began with little warning at 11:14 p.m. Wednesday and created a fissure round 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) lengthy. The exercise is estimated to be significantly smaller than the earlier eruption in August, Iceland’s meteorological workplace that displays seismic exercise mentioned.

“Within the massive image, this can be a bit smaller than the final eruption, and the eruption that occurred in Might,” Magnús Tumi Guðmundsson, a professor of geophysics who flew over the scene with the Civil Safety company to watch the occasion, advised the nationwide RUV broadcaster.

Whereas the eruption poses no menace to air journey, authorities warned of fuel emissions throughout elements of the peninsula, together with the close by city of Grindavík.

Round 50 homes had been evacuated after the Civil Safety company issued the alert, together with visitors on the famous Blue Lagoon resort, based on RUV.

The repeated volcanic eruptions close to Grindavík, which is about 50 kilometers (30 miles) southwest of the capital, Reykjavik, and has a inhabitants of three,800 individuals, have broken infrastructure and property and compelled many residents to relocate to ensure their security.

“Grindavík will not be at risk because it seems to be and it’s unlikely that this crack will get any longer, though nothing will be dominated out,” Magnús Tumi mentioned.

Iceland, which sits above a volcanic hot spot in the North Atlantic, averages one eruption each 4 to 5 years. Essentially the most disruptive in latest instances was the 2010 eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano, which spewed clouds of ash into the ambiance and disrupted trans-Atlantic air journey for months.

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Keyton reported from Berlin.