Volcanic eruption in Iceland worries residents

Sarah Gambles
·2 min read
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Lava emerges from a fissure of the Fagradalsfjall volcano near the Litli-Hrútur mountain, some 19 miles southwest of Reykjavik, Iceland, on Monday, July 10, 2023. Authorities in Iceland on Tuesday warned spectators to stay away from a newly erupting volcano that is spewing lava and noxious gases from a fissure in the country’s southwest.

While Iceland is known for its iconic volcanic landscapes, one volcano in particular is starting to worry authorities in the Scandinavian country. They warned tourists to stay away from a volcano that started erupting again recently in the southwest of the country.

“The police, after counsel from scientists, have decided to restrict access to the eruption site due to enormous and life-threatening toxic gas pollution,” the department of civil protection and emergency management told NBC News.

Thousands of earthquakes in the region in recent weeks warned of geological activity, and the Fagradalsfjall volcano started erupting Monday afternoon, spewing lava and toxic gas. The area is uninhabited, but is only about 19 miles from Reykjavik, the country’s capital. It also erupted in 2021 and 2022, according to The Associated Press.

There was no immediate danger, but people are advised against entering the areas closer to the volcano. All hikes on the Reykjanes Peninsula were closed because of the “massive gas pollution that is life-threatening,” the peninsula’s police chief told CNN.

Residents in the area have been told to close the windows and switch off ventilation when they can. Footage captured from the eruption demonstrates “that the fissure has shortened a lot and that the lava flow has ceased,” according to Magnus Tumi Gudmundsson, professor of geophsyics at the University of Iceland, per NBC News.

There are around 130 volcanoes in Iceland. This isn’t the first time Mounta Fagradalsfjall has been a topic in the news. In 2021, tourists were spotted roasting marshmallows and hot dogs over the cooling slow-moving lava flows, EuroNews reported in 2021.