GRINDAVIK, Iceland (AP) — A volcano that had rumbled for weeks erupted in southwestern Iceland, spewing semi-molten rock into the air in a spectacular show of Earth’s power in the land known for fire and ice.

The Icelandic Meteorological Office reported that the eruption, which began on Monday night, took place approximately 4 kilometers (2.4 miles) away from Grindavik. This town, located near Iceland’s primary airport, was previously evacuated in November due to numerous earthquakes that caused damage to homes and sparked concerns of a potential eruption.

On Tuesday, a fissure in the ground released streams of orange lava into the darkened sky. Iceland, located below the Arctic Circle and above a volcanic hotspot in the North Atlantic, experiences approximately 20 hours of darkness per day in December. The Icelandic broadcasting company RUV streamed live footage of the eruption on its website while Christmas carols played in the background.

Iceland experiences an eruption approximately every four to five years. The most significant event in recent history was the 2010 eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano, which released massive amounts of ash into the air and caused extensive closures of European airspace.

According to Iceland’s Foreign Minister Bjarne Benediktsson, the ongoing eruption is not likely to produce airborne ash since it is not occurring under water or ice. He also stated on the social media platform X (previously known as Twitter) that there have been no interruptions to flights in and out of Iceland and international air routes are still operating normally. The national airline Icelandair confirmed that their flights have not been impacted by the eruption.

A series of volcanic mountains located on the Reykjanes Peninsula, approximately 50 kilometers (31 miles) from the capital city of Reykjavik, has experienced three eruptions since 2021, following a period of inactivity lasting 800 years. Previous eruptions took place in isolated valleys and did not result in any significant damage.

In November, the evacuation of Grindavik resulted in a small number of individuals in the vicinity of the eruption. Officials have advised others to avoid the area. The popular Blue Lagoon geothermal spa, a major tourist destination in Iceland, also temporarily closed during this time due to a series of earthquakes that raised concerns about a potential volcanic eruption.

The inhabitants of the fishing village, which was evacuated and has a population of 3,400, experienced conflicting feelings as they observed the orange flames reach the night sky. Even though a month has passed since the evacuation, numerous individuals are still residing in temporary housing and do not anticipate being able to go back and live in their original homes.

“The town involved might end up under the lava,” said Ael Kermarec, a French tour guide living in Iceland. “It’s amazing to see but, there’s kind of a bittersweet feeling at the moment.”

According to RUV, scientist Magnus Tumi Gudmundsson flew over the area on Tuesday morning with a coast guard research flight. He reported that he believes the amount of lava that has been released is twice as much as the total amount during the month-long eruption earlier this summer.

According to Gudmundsson, the eruption is predicted to gradually decrease in strength. However, scientists are uncertain about its duration, as it could end within a week or potentially last longer.

According to RUV, Vidir Reynisson, the head of Iceland’s Civil Protection and Emergency Management, stated that this is not a place for tourists and they should observe it from a considerable distance.

However, it is difficult for individuals to resist the stunning natural occurrence.

Robert Donald Forrester III, a tourist from the United States, exclaimed, “It’s only something from a film!”

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Keyton gave a report from Stockholm. The report was aided by writer Danica Kirka from the Associated Press in London.

Source: wral.com