After a period of heightened earthquake activity, a volcano has erupted on the Reykjanes peninsula in southwest Iceland.
Approximately 4,000 people were evacuated from the fishing town of Grindavik, and the nearby Blue Lagoon geothermal spa was closed as a precautionary measure.
The Icelandic Met Office reported that the eruption commenced north of the town at 22:17 local time (22:17 GMT). The region around the capital, Reykjavik, has been experiencing increased seismic activity since late October.
Situated approximately 4km (2.5 miles) northeast of Grindavik, the eruption’s seismic activity was progressing towards the town. Social media posts captured images and videos of lava spewing from the volcano shortly after a series of seismic events were detected.
The eruption is visible from Reykjavik, located about 42km (26 miles) northeast of Grindavik. Witnesses reported a red glow illuminating half of the sky in the town’s direction, accompanied by billowing smoke.
Authorities have issued warnings for people to stay away from the affected area. The volcanic crack spans about 3.5km, and the lava is flowing at a rate ranging from 100 to 200 cubic metres per second, significantly exceeding previous eruptions on the Reykjanes peninsula in recent years.
A senior police officer at the Civil Defence described the eruption as a rapid and substantial event. Vidir Reynisson reported that lava appeared to be streaming in all directions from a large crack in the volcano.
Iceland’s foreign minister, Bjarni Benediktsson said on X, formerly Twitter, that “there are no disruptions to flights to and from Iceland, and international flight corridors remain open”.
“The jets [of lava] are quite high, so it appears to be a powerful eruption at the beginning,” he said.
After weeks of heightened alert, Iceland faces a potential volcano eruption, prompting the precautionary evacuation of Grindavík last month.
As of 08:00 GMT, no injuries have been reported. In 2010, the Eyjafjallajokull eruption caused major European airspace closures, resulting in significant economic losses.
Volcanologist Dr Evgenia Ilyinskaya noted that the current situation is unlikely to cause similar disruption, as the southwest Iceland volcanoes lack the capacity for extensive ash clouds.
Dr Ilyinskaya, speaking from Iceland, highlighted the anticipation and concerns of local residents regarding the impending eruption.
“There was a lot of uncertainty. It was a difficult period of time for local people,” she said.
She added that authorities were preparing for potential lava flows that could destroy homes and infrastructure, including the Blue Lagoon, a popular tourist destination.
“At the moment it seems not to be threatening, although it remains to be seen,” she said.