Iceland Volcano Erupts Again: Fourth Eruption Hits Reykjanes Peninsula Since December

Lava spewed on Saturday from a recently formed volcanic fissure on Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula, marking the fourth eruption to hit the area since December, according to authorities.

The eruption, which occurred between stora Skogfell and Hagafell, prompted the Icelandic Met Office to issue a statement confirming the volcanic activity. Live video footage showed billowing smoke and glowing lava.

In response, Iceland’s Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management dispatched a helicopter to pinpoint the precise location of the new fissure.

The Icelandic Met Office had previously issued a statement minutes before the eruption, predicting an increased chance of volcanic activity based on seismic activity.

Local media reported the evacuation of the fishing town of Grindavik had begun, with residents receiving urgent text messages instructing them to leave swiftly.

The town of Grindavik, home to approximately 4,000 residents, had only recently been allowed to return to their homes on February 19, after being evacuated on November 11, 2023.

During the evacuation, the town experienced numerous tremors, causing damage to buildings and massive cracks in roads. A volcanic fissure occurred on December 18, sparing the village. However, in January, a fissure opened up right on the town’s edge, engulfing the streets in lava and reducing three homes to ashes. Another eruption took place near the village on February 8.

The Reykjanes Peninsula is home to 33 active volcano systems, the highest concentration in Europe. It is situated along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a rift zone dividing the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates.

For over eight centuries, the Reykjanes peninsula had remained dormant until March 2021. Subsequently, eruptions occurred in August 2022 and July and December 2023, leading experts to assert the initiation of a new era of seismic activity in the region.

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