A crack in the side of a mountain released rivers of hot lava, flowing downward and bursting into streams of fiery crimson and shimmering gold. This occurred during the recent eruption of the Fagradalsfjall volcano near a quaint fishing village in southwestern Iceland.

The blazing liquid lights up the smoky sky in Grindavik, which is only 50 kilometers (30 miles) away from the capital city, Reykjavik.

The volcanic activity commenced on Monday night, although it was expected due to the region’s two-year history of seismic activity. Numerous minor earthquakes have been occurring, indicating the inevitable reawakening of the volcano.

The civil defense team is closely monitoring volcanic activity by blocking the road to the mountain and conducting aerial surveillance in a helicopter over the lava flows. They are currently on high alert.

As the winter solstice approaches on Friday, with only three hours of sunlight in Iceland, locals come together to observe the stunning display of natural light in the dark sky from a safe distance.

The temperature of the lava is approximately 1,200 degrees Celsius (2,200 degrees Fahrenheit). According to the Icelandic Meteorological Office, the volcano released hundreds of cubic meters of lava per second during the first two hours of the eruption. However, the intensity of the activity had decreased significantly by Tuesday afternoon.

The most recent eruption of the volcano occurred in March 2021, after a period of 6,000 years of dormancy.

Source: wral.com