The Icelandic Meteorological Office revealed that a volcano erupted from a 3.9-km-long fissure in the southwest part of the country, marking the sixth volcanic eruption in the region since December 2023.
According to the country’s foreign ministry, the volcano did not pose any danger to life outside the local communities, and the nearby neighborhoods were evacuated.
Since December, people living in the nearby fishing town of Grindavik have been evacuated when the southwest is hit by lava, but this time the volcano did not travel towards the town. Historically, Grindavik has remained famous for its sports team and young population, but the consistent volcanic eruptions in the region have forced most of the people to fly and settle in different parts of the country.
The latest lava erupted at Sundhnukar crater row and is expected to last for weeks as the region is still having notable ongoing seismic activities. Before this, the Reykjanes peninsula saw its major lava in late May, which lasted for 24 days, as molten rock continued to come out of the earth for prolonged periods.
More than 30,000 people living in the Reykjanes peninsula are somehow affected whenever a lava hits the country, which has a small population of only 40 million.
Scientists believe that the volcanic activities in the Reykjanes peninsula are far from over, and the region will remain prone to repeated eruptions for centuries to come.
The Reykjanes Peninsula is renowned for its striking volcanic features, such as the large lava fields. As part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates diverge, the peninsula is a hotspot for volcanic eruptions and geothermal phenomena. Rugged terrain marked by craters, volcanic fissures, and vast fields of solidified lava remain the most distinguished characteristics that make this region different from the rest of the country.
In 2021, the Fagradalsfjall volcanic system on the Reykjanes Peninsula, which had been inactive for 6,000 years, suddenly erupted through a 600-foot-long fissure. This marked the first eruption in the area in over 800 years. Subsequently, there were three smaller eruptions in 2021, 2022, and the summer of 2023, each characterized by spectacular displays of fiery fountains.
These eruptions have also attracted global tourists, who are willing to go to these dangerous sites for adventurous purposes. The sudden rise in so-called volcano tourism and the emergency rescue of a trapped hiker through a helicopter have also urged the Icelandic police to issue a warning that tourists should “think four times” before starting their journey towards these destinations.
