Volcanic eruption hits Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland

A volcano on Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula erupted on Wednesday afternoon, as confirmed by recordings from the site and reported by Reuters. This marks the fifth eruption in the area since December. The Icelandic Meteorological Office verified the event, specifying the eruption near Sundhnúk, north of the town Grindavík, located about 40 kilometers southwest of the capital, Reykjavik. Ahead of the eruption, officials commenced evacuations in Grindavík and near the tourist site, the Blue Lagoon, due to signs of imminent volcanic activity. Geophysicist Kristín Jónsdóttir from the Meteorological Office detailed that the eruption extends over at least a kilometer, with lava fountaining around 50 meters into the air. The current eruption appears to be more intense than previous ones in the region, but has not yet affected air traffic according to Keflavík Airport’s website.