Volcano near Iceland’s main airport erupts again after pause.
News Souce: SFGate, Twitter
REYKJAVIK, Iceland (AP) — A volcano in southwest Iceland began erupting Wednesday, the country’s meteorological authorities said — just eight months after its last eruption officially ended.
The Icelandic Meteorological Office urged people not to go near the Fagradalsfjall volcano, which is located some 32 kilometers (20 miles) southwest of the capital, Reykjavik.
The eruption in an uninhabited valley is not far from Keflavik Airport, Iceland’s international air traffic hub. The airport remained open and no flights were disrupted.
A live video feed from the site showed magma spewing from a narrow fissure about 100 to 200 meters (109 to 218 yards) long over a field of lava from last year’s eruption, the first on the Reykjanes Peninsula in almost 800 years.
Scientists had anticipated an eruption somewhere on the peninsula after a series of earthquakes over the past week indicated volcanic activity close to the crust.
Volcanologist Magnus Tumi Gudmundsson told The Associated Press that the eruption appeared to be small.
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Breaking !
On the Reykjanes peninsula, where earthquake storms have been experienced for days in #Iceland, the #Fagradalsfjall #Volcano became active. About an hour ago, lava flows reached the surface. Experts are investigating whether there will be a big eruption!
Scientists had anticipated an eruption somewhere on the peninsula after a series of earthquakes over the past week indicated volcanic activity close to the crust.
Volcanologist Magnus Tumi Gudmundsson told The Associated Press that the eruption appeared to be small.
Volcano erupts near Iceland’s main airport as lava spews and gas cloud rises into sky
Volcano near Iceland’s main airport erupts again after pause.
Volcano near Iceland’s main airport.
Volcano near Iceland’s main airport erupts again after pause
Scientists had anticipated an eruption somewhere on the peninsula after a series of earthquakes over the past week indicated volcanic activity close to the crust.
An eruption in the same area last year produced spectacular lava flows for several months.
Volcanologist Magnus Tumi Gudmundsson told the Associated Press that the eruption appeared to be small.
“But we don’t know where in the process things are at,” he said as he boarded a helicopter for a first look.