A volcano erupted in Iceland, causing the country to declare a state of emergency overnight on Sunday morning as streams of lava moved quickly and almost hit the 3,800-person town of Grindavik.
The eruption, which is the fourth in three months on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwest Iceland, started overnight, creating a nearly two-mile crack in the ground and releasing lava.
Grindavik was evacuated during the region’s first eruption in December , which marked the first volcanic activity in the area in 800 years. The few people who returned to their homes were again evacuated Saturday.Defensive structures built in preparation for more eruptions redirected the lava flows around the town, according to Icelandic authorities.
The first two eruptions in December and January lasted days, while one last month lasted just hours. The January eruption destroyed some buildings in the town.
Sunday’s eruption is believed to be the largest of the four, according to geophysicist Magnús Tumi Guðmundsson who told Icelandic outlet RUV There have been no confirmed deaths from the four eruptions, although one worker is missing after reportedly falling into a crack in the ground.
No flight problems were reported at nearby Keflavik, Iceland’s main airport. The Associated Press contributed..
A volcanic eruption in Iceland sent the country into a state of emergency overnight Sunday morning as lava flows barreled towards and narrowly missed the 3,800-person town of Grindavik. The eruption marked the fourth in three months on the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland’s southwest. Iceland’s Meteorological Office said the eruption began overnight, with a nearly…
No flight disruptions were reported at nearby Keflavik, Iceland’s main airport.
The Associated Press contributed.
