The eruption, categorised as a volcanic fissure, is happening about 10 miles from Keflavik Worldwide Airport and about 20 miles from the nation’s capital, Reykjavik. As of Thursday morning, the airport — which has flights from Seattle, London and Frankfurt — remained open and operational.
“Presently, there have been no disruptions to flights to and from Iceland and worldwide flight corridors stay open,” the International Ministry mentioned in a statement.
Worldwide vacationers will recall the 2010 eruption of the nation’s Eyjafjallajokull volcano, which spewed large ash clouds into the ambiance, grounding air site visitors and leaving hundreds of thousands stranded.
“What we all know to date is that the eruption doesn’t pose any danger to populated areas or crucial infrastructure,” Icelandic Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir mentioned in an announcement. “We are going to after all proceed to watch the scenario intently.”
A volcanic fissure doesn’t often end in massive explosions or vital dispersal of ash into the stratosphere. However folks have been warned to remain away due to the chance from noxious fumes and scorching magma.
“The eruption follows intense seismic exercise over the previous few days,” the International Ministry mentioned. “It’s thought of to be comparatively small and attributable to its location, there may be low risk to populated areas or crucial infrastructure”
The precise location of the eruption is in Meradalir, about one mile north of Mt. Stori-Hrutur, in keeping with the Icelandic Meteorological Workplace.
The world has skilled “robust earthquakes” in current days, it added, warning of tremors, falling rocks and gasoline air pollution. The identical volcano additionally erupted final 12 months, it said, and lasted about six months.
Volcanoes are a reality of life in Iceland, a rustic that sits atop the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, attributable to the separation of the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. On average, the nation experiences a volcanic occasion about each 4 years.
Nonetheless, the identical geological exercise can be chargeable for a number of the nation’s most dramatic pure options, resembling black sand seashores and geothermal lagoons, which draw hundreds of thousands of overseas vacationers.
Volcanic eruption has began in SW Iceland🌋
Threat to populated areas & crucial infrastructure is taken into account very low and there have been no disruptions to flights.
Comply with @Vedurstofan for updates and take a look at this stay stream from @mblfrettirhttps://t.co/ChoNxnR2Vp
— MFA Iceland 🇮🇸 (@MFAIceland) August 3, 2022
The present volcanic response is being led by Iceland’s division of Civil Safety and Emergency Administration alongside the Meteorological Workplace and College of Iceland. Scientists are additionally within the space with Coast Guard helicopters to evaluate the scenario, the federal government mentioned.
