The Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) reported that early in the morning on November 21, according to Vietnam time, a volcano erupted on the Reykjanes Peninsula, located about 30 km southwest of the capital city, Reykjavik. This marks the seventh eruption of this volcano since December of last year.
According to the IMO announcement, the lava eruption occurred at the Sundhnuksgigar volcanic fissure, just outside the town of Grindavik, at 11:14 PM GMT on November 20 (6:14 AM on November 21 in Vietnam).
Smoke and lava erupting as the volcano is active on the Reykjanes Peninsula, southwestern Iceland.
Prior to the eruption, authorities had warned of imminent volcanic activity on the Reykjanes Peninsula after detecting magma accumulating underground, following the recent eruption which ended just on September 6.
The volcanic eruptions on the Reykjanes Peninsula do not directly impact Reykjavik and have not significantly dispersed ash into the stratosphere, thus not causing any disruption to air traffic.
Iceland, with a population of nearly 400,000, is situated on the rift between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates, making it a seismic hotspot with geysers, hot springs, and dozens of active volcanoes.
After a long period of dormancy lasting 800 years, the geological systems in the area reactivated in 2021, leading to increasingly frequent eruptions since then. Much of the nearby fishing town of Grindavik, home to nearly 4,000 residents before evacuation orders were issued in December last year, remains deserted due to the threat posed by lava flows. Icelandic authorities have erected barriers to redirect the lava away from the town and nearby infrastructure, such as power plants.
Scientists warn that the Reykjanes Peninsula is likely to experience many more volcanic eruptions over the coming decades, if not centuries. However, it is predicted that these eruptions will not have as severe an impact as the Eyjafjallajokull eruption in 2010, which dispersed ash clouds across Europe and led to the cancellation of around 100,000 flights worldwide.
