There are dozens of active volcanoes in Iceland, i.e. those that can erupt every few years. A particularly impressive natural spectacle can currently be observed very close to the capital Reykjavik: on the Reykjanes peninsula, in the very south-west of the island, glowing lava has been bubbling north-west of the Litli-Hrútur mountain for a little over two weeks now. Glowing rock emerges from an approximately 900 meter long fissure in the Fagradalsfjall volcanic system.
The spectacle can be seen live in a broadcast by the public service channel RUV. On this Wednesday morning it was easy to see how the lava danced in a round crater and in other places made its way out of the ground in long cracks.
The eruption, which began late in the afternoon on July 10, was reportedly preceded by thousands of earthquakes. According to official information from Iceland, there is no danger to humans – the area is sparsely populated. It is the third eruption in about two and a half years near Reykjavik. It is not yet possible to estimate how long it will last. According to earlier reports from Icelandic authorities, air traffic will not be affected by the volcanic eruption.
Travelers can approach the volcano on hiking trails. However, some routes are closed again and again depending on the situation. The country’s official tourism information site, Visit Island, provides up-to-date information on the situation in the area, but also warns: Travelers should always inform themselves about the situation in the area, as new rifts can always appear.
Overall, the Icelanders are quite relaxed about this volcanic eruption. The current eruption can hardly be compared with the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in April 2010. At that time, an ash cloud paralyzed European airspace for days.
Sources: Webcam at RUV.is, “Visit Reykjanes”, “Visiticeland.com”. “Tagesschau.de”, Deutschlandfunk, ZDF
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