by WATCH: A volcano is erupting in Iceland weeks after thousands were evacuated
A volcano erupted late Monday in southwest Iceland, spewing lava and smoke across a wide area after weeks of intense earthquakes.
Images and live streams of the eruption showed molten rock pouring spectacularly from fissures in the ground, their bright yellow and orange colors set in stark contrast to the dark night sky. Fearing a significant eruption on the Caribbean peninsula, authorities last month evacuated nearly 4,000 residents in the fishing town of Grindavik and closed the nearby Blue Lagoon geothermal spa.
In 2010, the Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupted, creating an ash cloud that grounded European air traffic but the latest activity is not expected to disrupt the same. Scientists have said that a new eruption would produce lava but not an ash cloud.
“Warning: An eruption has started north of Grindavik with Hagafell,” the country’s Meteorological Office said on its website, noting that the eruption started just a few kilometers from Grindavik and that cracks in the ground extended towards the village located approximately 40 km (25 miles) southwest of Iceland’s capital, Reykjavík.”
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Does the eruption affect flights?
Reykjavík’s nearby Keflavik International Airport remained open, although many delays were listed for both arrivals and departures.
National airline Icelandair told passengers: “The eruption has little impact on Icelandair operations or Keflavik airport. There is no change to our flight schedule.
“No flights were delayed or canceled due to the eruption. The safety of our passengers and crew is always our top priority and at the heart of every decision we make. We are closely monitoring the situation and will keep our passengers informed of any new developments.”
However, some departing flights on Tuesday morning from new Icelandic airline Play were delayed by up to five hours. A series of strikes by air traffic controllers complicated the situation. Staff are walking out from time to time due to a pay dispute and further industrial action is planned for Wednesday morning.
Is it safe to travel to Iceland?
The Icelandic Meteorological Office said the “main site” of the eruption was an area north of Grindavik, near Hagafell mountain. Local police said they raised their alert level as a result and the country’s civil defense warned the public not to approach the area while emergency personnel assessed the situation.
The UK government has issued an advisory saying there is an above normal increase in earthquakes and signs of volcanic activity on the Reykjavík peninsula, southwest of Reykjavík. It was said that you should monitor the local media for updates and follow the authority’s advice on travel to the area.
Could it affect the UK?
Flights from the UK are currently on schedule and a volcanic eruption in Iceland will not affect Christmas routes, according to armed forces minister James Heappey. He offered assurances in the House of Commons after concerns were raised over defense issues.
Conservative MP James Gray asked about the potential impact of “threatened volcanic activity” on maritime patrol aircraft using Iceland’s Keflavik Air Base.
Mr Heappey replied: “To the relief of Christmas holiday goers everywhere, I am told that this particular volcanic ash plume is not the last and is not such a serious threat to aviation , but we are, of course. , have careful monitoring and incidents.”
In 2010, an Icelandic volcano stopped air traffic for 8 days. Could that happen this time?
In 2010, the Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupted in Iceland, sending a huge ash cloud across Europe. The wind carried this ash cloud and disrupted air travel in many countries, with some airlines grounding their flights for up to eight days.
The eruption led to the cancellation of around 100,000 flights, affecting millions of passengers worldwide, and caused an estimated loss of billions of pounds to the airline industry. Many countries also closed their airspace as a precautionary measure, resulting in heavy economic losses.
However, scientists have said that a new lava eruption is likely to produce lava but not an ash cloud, so this is unlikely to cause the same level of disruption.
Located between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates, among the largest on the planet, Iceland is a seismic and volcanic hotspot as the two plates move in opposite directions. But eruptions are still difficult to predict.
