A volcano in Iceland has erupted for the fourth time in as many months, according to the Icelandic Meteorological Office.
Lava flowed from the Sundhnúksgíga crater on Saturday night, billowing smoke and forcing the evacuation of a local fishing village and luxury spa.
Icelandic broadcaster RUV quoted geophysicist Magnus Tumi Gudmundsson as saying that the latest eruption was the most violent yet.
The Icelandic Meteorological Office has been warning for weeks that another eruption was possible at a site in the southwestern part of the island, following three separate eruptions since December.
The eruption was located between Hagafell and Stóra Skógfell and was similar to recent eruptions in early February and mid-December.
But according to analysis by the Met Office, the eruption occurred without much warning. The country’s Ministry of Civil Defense and Emergency Management first received an eruption warning at 7:43 pm local time on Saturday, and the eruption began at 8:23 pm.
The lava flowed southeast towards the fishing village of Grindavik and west towards the Svarsenge area, which the Met Office said was the largest to date. Grindavik and the nearby Blue Lagoon spa resort were quickly evacuated. Remote control UV explain.
The Met Office said in an update released at 1.25am on Sunday that lava activity was “fairly stable”.
But it warned: “If the eruption continues at the same rate, the lava reaching the ocean needs to be considered.”
Airports across the country, including in the capital Reykjavik, remain “unaffected”, according to a statement on Reykjavik Keflavik Airport’s website.
In December, the volcano itself erupted for the first time in more than 800 years, followed quickly by three more eruptions.
On February 8, the fishing village of Grindavik was also evacuated after another eruption occurred at a similar location. During that eruption, lava fountains reached heights of 50 to 80 meters.
Back in January, Icelandic President Gudni Johannesson warned that Iceland was battling “enormous natural forces” following another eruption on January 14.
Some houses in Grindavik were set ablaze after lava flows reached the outskirts of the town following evacuations the night before. The government put up barriers in rock and mud to prevent lava from reaching Grindavik, but the eruption penetrated the defenses.
At the time, Grindavik mayor Fannar Jonasson described it as “a huge and serious shock to the population”.
Last November, residents had to leave Grindavik due to concerns about an imminent eruption of the Swarzenji volcanic system due to increased seismic activity.
The volcano then erupted on December 18, but lava flowed from the village. This is the first eruption of the volcano in nearly 800 years.
Follow us on Google news ,Twitter , and Join Whatsapp Group of thelocalreport.in
