On Wednesday night, a volcano near Iceland's capital erupted, marking the seventh such event in the area since December. The volcano is located in Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula in the southwest of the country. The fissure on the volcano is estimated to be approximately 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) long, according to the Icelandic Met Office.
The eruption began shortly after 11 p.m local time on Wednesday, with a subsequent update from the Met Office indicating that the fissure appeared to have stopped expanding. Despite the eruption, air traffic to and from Iceland was operating normally on Thursday, as confirmed by Iceland's official tourism website.
The eruption was described as significantly smaller than the last one that occurred in the area on August 22, when a 4-kilometer (2.5-mile) fissure opened. As a precautionary measure, a geothermal power plant and two hotels at the Blue Lagoon were evacuated. The Blue Lagoon has faced closures due to volcanic activity over the past year.
According to a spokesperson for the Icelandic Tourist Board, the town of Grindavík is not currently threatened by lava flow. Evacuations were carried out for safety reasons, with approximately 60 people in town being relocated, along with the Svartsengi Power Plant and the two hotels at the Blue Lagoon.
Since January 2020, there have been a total of 10 eruptions on Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula. Iceland, with a population of nearly 400,000, is known for being one of the world's most active volcanic regions. The country sits on the geologic border between North America and Europe, which is constantly active.
Last year, Iceland experienced over 1,000 earthquakes in a 24-hour period, highlighting the dynamic nature of the region's geology.
