A volcano in southwest Iceland began erupting on Wednesday, according to the country’s meteorological officials, just eight months after its previous eruption ended.
People were advised not to approach the Fagradalsfjall volcano, which is around 32 kilometers (20 miles) southwest of the country’s capital, Reykjavik.
The eruption occurred in an undeveloped valley not far from Keflavik Airport, Iceland’s international airport. The airport remained operational, and no flights were impacted.
Magma spewed from a narrow fissure about 100 to 200 meters long over a field of lava from last year’s eruption, the first on the Reykjanes Peninsula in almost 800 years, officials said.
After many earthquakes over the past week suggested volcanic activity close to the crust, scientists had predicted an eruption somewhere on the peninsula.
According to Magnus Tumi Gudmundsson, a volcanologist, the eruption appeared to be minor.
The same location experienced an eruption in 2021 that resulted in stunning lava flows for several months. Thousands of people came from all over to watch the amazing spectacle.
Iceland, which is situated atop a volcanic hotspot in the North Atlantic, experiences an eruption every four to five years.
