In brief
In a significant geological event, a volcano in Iceland erupted early Wednesday morning, adding to a series of eruptions from the same volcanic system that have occurred 12 times in the past four years. The eruption, which originated from the Sundhnukur crater, began shortly after a series of earthquakes rattled the area. Gisli Olafsson, secretary general of the Icelandic Red Cross, confirmed that despite the eruption sending gray smoke into the atmosphere and releasing a minimal amount of lava, there was no immediate danger to people or infrastructure.
The eruption began at 3:56 a.m. local time, following seismic activity that prompted local authorities to evacuate the nearby fishing village of Grindavik, situated 25 miles southwest of the capital, Reykjavik, and the popular geothermal spa, the Blue Lagoon. Officials are yet to confirm whether the spa was closed, as had been the case during an earlier eruption in April.The Icelandic Meteorological Office reported the eruptive fissure extending about half a mile with lava flowing primarily southeast, thus avoiding populated areas. Fortunately, no damages or injuries have been recorded so far. Although southeasterly winds may carry gas clouds toward Iceland's main international airport, which lies about 20 miles from the eruption site, there were no flight disruptions reported as of 6:30 a.m. local time.Historically, volcanic eruptions in Iceland occurred every three to four years, but the past four years have seen an unprecedented rise in activity from the Svartsengi volcanic system, which encompasses the Sundhnukur crater.
