Iceland volcano erupts on Reykjanes peninsula following hundreds of earthquakes

Sheri Walsh
·2 min read
UPI
A volcanic eruption began Monday night in Iceland, north of Grindavik, on the Reykjanes peninsula. An evacuation order for the small population of Grindavik was issued last month following seismic activity and indications of considerable magma movement in the area. Photo courtesy of Icelandic Met Office

Dec. 18 (UPI) -- A volcano on Iceland's Reykjanes peninsula started erupting Monday night following hundreds of earthquakes over the past few weeks, according to the Icelandic Meteorological Office.

The Icelandic Met Office said the eruption started at about 10:17 p.m., local time, following an "earthquake swarm" about an hour earlier near the fishing town of Grindavik.

"An eruption has started on the Reykjanes peninsula," scientists at the Icelandic Met Office wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter, with a photo of the eruption.

"A Coast Guard helicopter will take off shortly to confirm the exact location and size of the eruption," the meteorological office added.

"An eruption has begun near the evacuated town of Grindavík," President Guòni Th. Jóhannesson of Iceland also warned Monday in a post on X.

"Our priorities remain to protect lives and infrastructure. Civil Defense has closed off the affected area. We now wait to see what the forces of nature have in store," Jóhannesson added. "We are prepared and remain vigilant."

Last month, scientists predicted the impending eruption of Fagradalsfjall volcano as they pointed to multiple earthquakes and a river of magma running underneath the town of Grindavik.

"Since midnight Nov. 12, around 1,000 earthquakes have been recorded within the dike boundaries, and all of them have been below M3.0 magnitude," said Icelandic Met Office scientists. "The most seismic activity has been from the center of the corridor to the north and south under Grindavik."

In preparation, Iceland shut down its iconic geothermic spa, Blue Lagoon, and evacuated the town's 3,000 residents in the country's Reykjanes peninsula.

Fagradalsfjall had been dormant for 800 years before erupting in 2021 and 2022.

As evacuations were ordered last month, the government reassured the country that it was ready.

"Icelandic authorities and the public are highly prepared for such events, and Iceland has one of the world's most effective volcanic preparedness measures," the government stated. "Iceland's geoscientists possess vast experience in dealing with volcanic activities."