Volcano erupts, sending lava towards fishing village in Iceland.

The fishing village had been evacuated earlier and no one was in danger in the incident, according to authorities. Flows of molten rock and smoke spewing from cracks in the ground spread to the town of Grindavik, according to live video released by the Morgunbladid newspaper.

A volcano erupts, spewing lava and smoke, right next to a fishing village on the Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland, on January 14, 2024. Photo: Icelandic Civil Protection Agency.

Icelandic President Gudni Johannesson stated on social media platform X: "No lives are in danger, although infrastructure may be threatened."

Authorities said the eruption began early Sunday north of the town of Grindavik, which had been evacuated for the second time since November just hours earlier.

Authorities had erected earthen and rock barriers in recent weeks to try to prevent lava from reaching Grindavik, about 40 km southwest of the capital Reykjavik, but the latest eruption breached this protective system.

This is the second volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwestern Iceland in less than a month and the fifth outbreak since 2021.

Last month, an eruption that began in the Svartsengi volcanic system on December 18th forced the complete evacuation of 4,000 Grindavik residents up to a month in advance, as well as closing the popular Blue Lagoon tourist site.

Iceland has more than 30 active volcanoes, making this northern European island nation a top destination for volcanic tourism, attracting thousands of thrill-seekers each year.

In 2010, an ash cloud from the eruption of the Eyafjallajokull volcano in southern Iceland covered much of Europe, causing around 100,000 flights to be canceled and forcing hundreds of Icelanders to evacuate.

Unlike Eyafjallajokull, the Reykjanes volcanic system is not trapped beneath glaciers and is therefore not expected to produce similar ash clouds.

Huy Hoang (according to Reuters)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/nui-lua-phun-trao-dung-nham-toi-lang-chai-o-iceland-post280944.html