In less than a year, a volcano in Iceland erupted 7 times.

The Icelandic Meteorological Organization (IMO) said that early on the morning of November 21, Vietnam time, a volcano erupted on the Reykjanes peninsula, about 30km southwest of the capital Reykjavik.

The Icelandic Meteorological Organization (IMO) said that early on the morning of November 21, Vietnam time, a volcano erupted on the Reykjanes peninsula , about 30km southwest of the capital Reykjavik. This is the 7th time this volcano has erupted since December last year.

According to the IMO announcement, the lava eruption occurred at the Sundhnuksgigar volcanic fissure , outside the town of Grindavik, at 23:14 on November 20 GMT (6:14 a.m. November 21 Vietnam time).

Picture 1 of In less than a year, a volcano in Iceland erupted 7 times.

Smoke and lava erupt as a volcano erupts on the Reykjanes Peninsula, southwest Iceland.

Authorities had previously warned of impending volcanic activity on the Reykjanes peninsula , where the most recent eruption ended on September 6, after noticing magma accumulating underground.

The volcanic eruptions on the Reykjanes Peninsula did not directly affect the capital Reykjavik and did not significantly emit ash into the stratosphere, thus causing no disruption to air traffic.

Iceland, with a population of nearly 400,000, sits on the fault line between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates , making it a seismic hotspot with geysers, hot springs and dozens of active volcanoes.

After an 800-year period of calm, the region's geological systems became active again in 2021 and have since experienced increasingly frequent eruptions. The nearby fishing town of Grindavik, which had a population of nearly 4,000 before it was evacuated last December, remains largely deserted due to the threat of lava flows. Icelandic authorities have erected barriers to divert lava flows away from the town and nearby infrastructure such as power plants.

Scientists have warned that the Reykjanes Peninsula is likely to experience more volcanic eruptions over the next several decades, or even centuries. However, the eruptions are not expected to be as severe as the 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajokull, which sent ash clouds across Europe and grounded around 100,000 flights worldwide.

Update 22 November 2024
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