A volcanic eruption, the fourth in three years, began this Monday night south of the capital, Reykjavík, in an area where seismic activity was very intense in November, the Icelandic meteorological service reported.
“An effusive eruption began a few kilometers northeast of Grindavík” shortly after 10:30 p.m., the meteorological service announced in a statement, specifying that the aviation color code had changed to “red.”
“At the moment, there are no disturbances in arrivals or departures from Keflavik airport,” said the Icelandic airport operator ISAVIA, through its website.
Contacted by TSFAna Agostinho, a Portuguese who lives in Iceland, says that the day begins with a large orange spot in the sky and that lava is visible near Keflavik airport.
The Reykjanes Peninsula, south of the capital Reykjavik, was spared from eruptions for eight centuries, until March 2021.
Since then, two more have occurred, in August 2022 and July 2023, a sign, for volcanologists, of the resumption of volcanic activity in the region.
Thirty-two volcanic systems are considered active in this land of fire and ice, the most volcanic region in Europe.
On November 11, residents of Grindavik, a picturesque town of 4,000, were evacuated as a precaution after hundreds of earthquakes caused by the movement of magma beneath the Earth’s crust, a precursor to a volcanic eruption.
Since then, these Icelanders can only visit their homes at certain times of the day.
Source: TSF
