A volcano erupted in southwest Iceland after intense seismic activity and a series of small earthquakes in the area. All incoming and outgoing flights were interrupted in the midst of the eruption.
The Fagradalsfjall volcano, located about 20 miles (32 km) south of the country’s capital, Reykjavik, erupted on Friday night, according to the Icelandic Meteorological Office (ICO), which noted that all flights to and from the neighboring Keflavik International Airport have been paused.
The first image of the eruption. Taken from the Coast Guard helicopter. The southern end of the lava flow is about 2.6 km from Suðurstrandarvegur. According to initial information, the crack is about 200 m long. pic.twitter.com/BBqe8WicyS
– Icelandic Meteorological Office – IMO (@Vedurstofan) March 19, 2021
A photo taken from the Coast Guard helicopter and shared by the ICO showed a brilliant lava flow snaking down the mountain, with the office adding that the lava flow is just 2.6 kilometers away from the city of Suðurstrandarvegur.
More photos of the eruption circulated on social media, making the night sky red.
Keflavik officials were sent to assess the situation, the ICO said, while local media reported that a Coast Guard helicopter was also sent to the area, bringing in two scientists to help determine next steps.
A local government spokesman also announced that all major roads around the volcano have been closed “So that people don’t get too close.”
Located on a peninsula in southwest Iceland, the volcano is in a seismic hotspot that has seen about 40,000 small earthquakes since late February, putting the region on high alert for a volcanic episode. However, as noticed by a local seismologist, activity in the area “Died almost completely” in preparation for Friday’s outbreak.
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