A long-dormant volcano erupted on the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland on Friday, launching a lava fountain that lit up the night sky about 20 miles southwest of the country’s capital, the Icelandic Meteorological Office. reported friday. The eruption, estimated to be the first on the peninsula in almost 800 years, follows weeks of increased seismic activity in the region.
“The rash is considered small at this stage and the eruptive fissure is approximate. 500 m [546 yards] long. The magma area is approximate. 1km2. [0.4 square miles]”, Said the IMO in a tweet. “The lava sources are small.”
The agency later tweeted a video of the consequences of the eruption taken from a Coast Guard helicopter, which you can check out in all its terrifying glory below.
The eruption occurred near Fagradalsfjall Mountain and started at around 4:45 pm ET on Friday, sending lava 109 yards (100 meters) into the air, said Bjarki Friis of the Icelandic weather office. Reuters. HI LOVE first spotted the eruption with a webcam that he installed near the mountain, which he then confirmed by means of thermal satellite images. Hours later, the agency said the lava appeared to be flowing “slowly to the southwest and west”. The glow of the lava can be seen on the outskirts of Iceland’s capital, Reykjavík.
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Although local authorities say they do not believe the eruption poses an immediate threat to neighboring cities, they advised residents close the windows and stay indoors to avoid inhaling volcanic gases ejected from the fissure. Icelandic police too encouraged people stay away from the eruption site for the time being, while the first responders continue to assess the situation.
More than 40,000 earthquakes have hit the region in the past four weeks, reports Reuters. The peninsula saw about 400 earthquakes on Thursday morning alone, and several low-frequency earthquakes were recorded below Fagradalsfjall earlier on Friday, according to the IMO.
Iceland is one of most volcanic nations in the world. Of its approximately 130 volcanoes, about 30 remain active. The The Reykjanes Peninsula remained relatively calm after spitting and turning off in a series of major eruptions between the 10th and 13th centuries, but scientists began to prepare for potential eruptions after the rate of earthquakes increased dramatically in 2019.