Iceland: A volcano erupted on Thursday morning for the second time this year in the southwest Iceland.
The volcano erupted at around 6 am local time in the northeast of Sylingarfell Mountain. Magma intrusion north of the town of Grindavik began half an hour earlier following an earthquake, national broadcaster RUV reported.
The location is close to the eruption that started on December 18, 2023. The fissure is 3 km long, with the lava flowing to the west. There is no immediate threat to Grindavik, Xinhua news agency reported.
The Blue Lagoon, a geothermal spa and one of Iceland’s most popular attractions, was evacuated on the fatal day morning when the eruption started, reports said.
Helga Arnadottir, director of sales, operations, and services at the Blue Lagoon, told local media that the guests had been transferred to hotels in nearby towns Keflavik and Reykjavik.
On November 10, 2023, authorities ordered the evacuation of Grindavik, though Icelandic experts told RUV there was no immediate threat to the fishing town.
Meanwhile, after the eruption, the availability of hot water for heating has been hampered. A hot water pipe was broken by the eruption in the Reykjanes area in southwestern Iceland, Xinhua news agency reported.
The heating system in this area is based on the use of hot water, but the impact of the water shortage also extends beyond the immediate area.
Keflavik airport ran out of hot water on Thursday afternoon, according to national radio RUV.
At the same time visuals of lava crossing the Blue Lagoon is going viral over the internet.
According to the latest announcement by the Icelandic Meteorological Office, the eruption’s power has decreased. It is mainly erupting in three places on the volcanic fissure that opened up Thursday morning.
(With Inputs from IANS)
Another display of nature’s power GRINDAVIK, Iceland
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A volcano in southwestern Iceland erupted Thursday for the third time since December, sending streams of lava into the sky, causing the evacuation of the popular Blue Lagoon geothermal spa and… pic.twitter.com/rlkK2DhsOG— Kris H (@Kris_H86) February 8, 2024
Ms Kalinga