2024-04-22 17:05:14
Volcano erupts in southwest Iceland
Reykjavik – A volcanic eruption began on Sunday morning north of the fishing port of Grindavik in southwest Iceland, leading to the evacuation of the city, according to Icelandic public radio and television.
Seismic activity accelerated sharply during the night and dozens of residents were evacuated around 3:00 a.m. (local and GMT).
The eruption caused large flows of bright orange lava along a fissure, explained the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO), cited by local media.
“A crack has opened on both sides of the defenses that have started to be built north of Grindavik,” the IMO said in its bulletin.
Icelandic authorities had called for the evacuation of the city until Monday, a decision that was accelerated due to seismic activity and crevasses already present in the city.
This is the fifth volcanic eruption in three years in the region following that of December 18, and a second evacuation in Grindavik after November 11 due to precursor earthquakes.
With 32 active volcanic systems, Iceland is the most volcanic region in Europe.
2024-04-22 17:05:14