Lava from a large volcanic eruption in Iceland appeared to flow away from the only town in the area, offering hope that homes would be spared, geologists and rescue officials said on Tuesday.
The eruption late on Monday on the Reykjanes peninsula in southwestern Iceland spewed lava and smoke more than 100 metres into the air after weeks of intense seismic activity.
“The eruption does not present a threat to life,” an Icelandic government statement said.
“There are no disruptions to flights to and from Iceland and international flight corridors remain open.”
Authorities last month evacuated the nearly 4,000 inhabitants of the fishing town of Grindavik about 40 kilometres southwest of the capital city Reykjavik.
Images and live streaming of the eruption shown by Reuters and others showed bright yellow, orange and red lava in sharp contrast against the night sky.
The eruption opened a 4km fissure from which lava fountains emerged. But at its southernmost point the crack was still 3km away from Grindavik, the Iceland Meteorological Office (IMO) said.
“The eruption is taking place north of the watershed, so lava does not flow towards Grindavik,” geologist Bjorn Oddson told the public broadcaster RUV.
For weeks, the Nordic country has been on high alert for a potential eruption at any moment after a period of intense seismic activity on the southwest peninsula, which last month prompted evacuation orders.
In November, thousands of small earthquakes rattled the region south of Reykjavik.
The evacuation of Grindavik was ordered after officials determined a tunnel of magma was shifting beneath the town, considered a precursor to an eruption.
Residents told AFP at the time that the seismic activity had damaged roads and buildings.
Since then, they have only been allowed to visit their homes during certain daylight hours.
Authorities have organised occasional trips into the village, escorting those with homes in the most perilous parts to rescue everything from cherished pets to photo albums, furniture and clothing.
New era
Located between the Eurasian and the North American tectonic plates, among the largest on the planet, Iceland is a seismic and volcanic hot spot because the two plates move in opposite directions.
Iceland is home to 33 active volcano systems, the highest number in Europe. But the Reykjanes peninsula had not experienced an eruption for eight centuries until 2021.
Since then, three eruptions have struck — all in remote, uninhabited areas — and volcanologists say this could be the start of a new era of activity in the region.
Previous eruptions near the Fagradalsfjall volcano on the Reykjanes peninsula took place in 2021, 2022 and earlier this year.
In 2010, the eruption of Iceland’s long-dormant Eyjafjallajokull volcano — an ice-capped volcano more than 1,660 metres tall — shot huge amounts of ash into the atmosphere. That massive, explosive eruption was not fatal, but forced the cancellation of around 100,000 flights and left more than 10 million travellers stranded.