Iceland Volcano Eruption: A volcano near Iceland’s capital city and primary airport has begun to erupt.
According to the Icelandic Meteorological Office, the eruption is around 20 miles southwest of the city of Reykjavik, close to the Fagradalsfjall mountain.
Molten lava is seen erupting from a small mountain fracture in a live video feed from the scene.
The eruption comes after several days of minor tremors along a peninsula that is considered to be a seismic hotspot.
A 500–750 metre long breach in the same region erupted in stunning lava jets in March of last year, and activity persisted into September.
Although it was the first to occur in the region in at least 800 years, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are nothing new in the nation.
The island has an eruption on average every four to five years and is situated atop a volcanic hotspot in the North Atlantic.
Iceland’s airline industry is on high alert due to recent volcanic activity near Keflavik Airport, which handles all international air traffic in the country. In order to prohibit aeroplanes from flying directly over the location, a “code red” has been issued; however, this may be lifted following additional research.
It is recognised that Icelandic eruptions can have a negative impact on European aviation. When the Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupted in 2010, it released clouds of ash and particles into the atmosphere that grounded flights between Europe and North America for several days.
Millions of travellers were stranded as more than 100,000 planes were grounded. As of right now, no airline flights are being impacted, according to Iceland’s national airport authority.
The Reykjanes peninsula in southwest Iceland contains the Krysuvik volcanic system, which includes Mount Fagradalsfjall.
The most active number of volcanic systems in Europe is 32, and it is found in Iceland. On average, an eruption has occurred in the nation every five years. A rift in the ocean floor that separates the tectonic plates of Europe and North America runs across the large island near the Arctic Circle. In part, the movement of these plates is what causes Iceland to experience such high levels of volcanic activity.
Every four to five years, Iceland, which is situated atop a volcanic hotspot in the North Atlantic, experiences an eruption.
The Eyjafjallajokull volcano eruption in 2010 was the most upsetting recent event; it blasted clouds of ash and dust into the skies and halted air transport between Europe and North America for days due to worries the ash could harm jet engines. Millions of people were stranded because more than 100,000 flights were cancelled.
Volcanic eruptions in the past
The longest volcanic eruption to have occurred in Iceland in the past 50 years has been officially proclaimed to be over. Thousands of tourists came to see the spectacle and the lava flows.
According to Brynds r Gsladóttir, a natural hazards expert at the Icelandic Meteorological Institute, “this eruption is now deemed over” because it has been three months since the last emission of lava (IMO).
However, the organisation that keeps track of volcanic activity warned trekkers to exercise caution and said it will keep an eye on the area.
On March 19, lava started to erupt near Mount Fagradalsfjall, which is located about 25 miles (40 km) south-west of the country’s capital Reykjavik.
However, this eruption, Iceland’s sixth in the last 20 years, lasted six months and was the longest eruption ever recorded.
On September 18, shortly after setting that record, the lava started to emerge. However, this didn’t happen until more than 140 million cubic metres of magma had spilled into the valleys of Geldingadalur.
The eruption, which was relatively simple to reach, developed into a significant tourist destination, drawing more than 350,000 tourists, according to the Icelandic Tourist Board.
There could be more eruptions in the vicinity, according to experts. The IMO stated that “history teaches us that volcanic activity there occurs in cycles.”
After raising the eruption alert level to orange two weeks prior, the institute last week reduced the risk of an eruption of Grmsvötn, another Icelandic volcano.
The most active volcano in Iceland, which erupts on average every five to ten years, is located in the island’s centre beneath a massive glacier in a less travelled area.
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