Flowing molten lava pours from 4km- crack as Iceland volcano erupts

A volcano in Iceland erupted resulting in geysers of molten lava shot into the night sky after weeks of intense seismic activity.

The eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula began after an earthquake swarm, the Icelandic Meteorological Office said. Videos shared widely on social media showed glowing orange jets of lava spewing from a crack in the ground with billowing clouds of red smoke around.

Iceland prime minister Katrin Jakobsdottir said, “We hope for the best but it is clear this is a considerable eruption.”

How Iceland prepared for the eruption

For weeks, Iceland had been anticipating an eruption on the peninsula after intense earthquake activity. Authorities evacuated thousands of people from the region ahead of the eruption. Since October, thousands of earthquakes had been detected on the Reykjanes peninsula. Roughly 4,000 people were evacuated from Grindavik on November 11 after scientists determined that a tunnel of magma was shifting beneath.

What Iceland’s meteorological office said

The meteorological office estimated that the volcano had opened a fissure about four kilometres long. The southern end is just three kilometres away from the fishing town of Grindavik, it said but the intensity of the eruption had stabilised and “the activity is decreasing”. But it is not possible to estimate how long it would last, it said.

Authorities urged people to stay away from the area while Reykjavik’s international airport remained open.

Iceland’s history of volcanic activity

Volcanic eruptions are not uncommon in Iceland, which is home to 33 active volcano systems- highest in Europe. The Reykjanes peninsula had not experienced an eruption for eight centuries until 2021. Since then, three have struck, in 2021, 2022 and earlier this year.

In 2010, the eruption of Iceland’s long-dormant Eyjafjallajokull volcano shot huge amounts of ash into the atmosphere.