Authorities in Iceland have warned vacationers and different spectators to steer clear of a newly erupting volcano that’s spewing lava and noxious gases from a fissure within the nation’s southwest
An individual walks close to lava rising from a fissure of the Fagradalsfjall volcano close to the Litli-Hrútur mountain, some 30 kilometers (19 miles) southwest of Reykjavik, Iceland, Monday July 10, 2023. Authorities in Iceland on Tuesday warned spectators to steer clear of a newly erupting volcano that’s spewing lava and noxious gases from a fissure within the nation’s southwest. (AP Picture/Marco Di Marco)
The Related Press
REYKJAVIK, Iceland — Authorities in Iceland on Tuesday warned vacationers and different spectators to steer clear of a newly erupting volcano that’s spewing lava and noxious gases from a fissure within the nation’s southwest.
The eruption started Monday afternoon after hundreds of earthquakes within the space, meteorological authorities stated. This one comes 11 months after its final eruption formally ended. The eruption is in an uninhabited valley close to the Litli-Hrútur mountain, some 30 kilometers (19 miles) southwest of the capital, Reykjavik.
The realm, recognized broadly as Fagradalsfjall volcano, erupted in 2021 and 2022 with out inflicting injury or disruptions to flights, regardless of being close to Keflavik Airport, Iceland’s worldwide air site visitors hub. The airport remained open on Tuesday.
The Icelandic Meteorological Workplace stated the eruption was initially extra explosive than the earlier two. Aerial footage confirmed streams of orange molten lava and clouds of gases spewing from a snaking fissure about 900 meters (half a mile) lengthy.
“Fuel air pollution is excessive across the eruption and harmful,” the Met Workplace stated. “Vacationers are suggested to not enter the realm till responders have had an opportunity to judge circumstances.”
By Tuesday morning, the fissure and the quantity of the eruption had shrunk, scientists stated.
“This has turn out to be a small eruption, which is superb information,” College of Iceland geophysics professor Magnús Tumi Guðmundsson advised nationwide broadcaster RUV.
He stated the eruption may “actually final a very long time, however fortunately we’re not taking a look at a continuation of what we noticed within the first few hours.”
A 2021 eruption in the identical space produced spectacular lava flows for a number of months. Tons of of hundreds of individuals flocked to see the sight.
Iceland, which sits above a volcanic sizzling spot within the North Atlantic, averages an eruption each 4 to 5 years.
Probably the most disruptive in current instances was the 2010 eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano, which despatched big clouds of ash into the environment and led to widespread airspace closures over Europe. Greater than 100,000 flights had been grounded, stranding tens of millions of worldwide vacationers and halting air journey for days due to considerations the ash may injury jet engines.