Iceland Volcano Erupts For Ninth Time Since 2023
Live video feeds showed lava spewing out of a fissure in the ground, with the Icelandic Met Office saying that it began just before 4:00 am (0400 GMT).
The weather agency later in the day reported that the main fissure was estimated to be 2.4 kilometres (1.5 miles) long, and that a second smaller fissure, about 500 metres long, had opened up nearby.
Due to high levels of gas pollution in the air, residents were advised to stay indoors.
Broadcaster RUV reported that the nearby fishing village Grindavik had been evacuated, as had the Blue Lagoon, Iceland's famed tourist spot.
Police Commissioner Margret Kristin Palsdottir, told the broadcaster that the evacuation of the some 100 people staying in the village had gone smoothly.
Palsdottir also said they had prevented some tourists from entering the area.
"Of course, we understand that this is a fascinating event, especially for tourists who are not as accustomed to it as we are," Palsdottir said.
Geophysicist Benedikt Ofeigsson told RUV that the eruption didn't seem as big as earlier ones and was in a good location as it wasn't near any infrastructure.
The previous eruption to hit the area was in April, and a risk assessment published on Tuesday didn't expect another eruption until this autumn.
When the first volcanic eruption first hit the area in late 2023, most of Grindavik's 4,000 residents were evacuated.
Since then, almost all of the houses have been sold to the state, and most of the residents have left.
Volcanoes on the Reykjanes peninsula had not erupted for eight centuries when in March 2021 a period of heightened seismic activity began.
Volcanologists have warned in recent years that volcanic activity in the region had entered a new era.
RUV said the latest eruption was not expected to impact international flights.
A volcanic eruption in another part of Iceland in 2010 caused worldwide travel chaos as the ash spewed into the atmosphere sparked airspace closures in Europe.
Iceland is home to 33 active volcanic systems, more than any other European country.
It is located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a fault in the ocean floor that separates the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates and causes earthquakes and eruptions. Iceland is home to 33 active volcanic systems, more than any other European country AFP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
DW
5 days ago
- DW
Tsunami warnings after quake strikes off Russia's east coast – DW – 07/30/2025
The magnitude-8.7 earthquake off the coast of the Kamchatka peninsula in Russia's far east triggered tsunami warnings in Japan. Russian authorities said the tremor was the strongest in decades. A powerful earthquake struck off the coast of the Kamchatka peninsula in Russia's Far East on Wednesday morning, triggering tsunami alerts and warnings in Japan and Hawaii. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the magnitude-8.7 tremor struck at a shallow depth of 19.3 km (12 miles). Japan's Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued a tsunami warning, with waves of up to 3 meters (nearly 10 feet) possible in areas along Japan's east coast. "A tsunami advisory has been issued as of 08:37 (2337 GMT) on July 30," the JMA said on X, adding that "tsunamis will strike repeatedly. Do not enter the sea or approach the coast until the warning is lifted." "Tsunami waves are approaching the coasts. Evacuate as quickly as possible," the JMA said in a separate update. The earthquake struck approximately 250 kilometers (160 miles) away from Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost of its four big islands, according to Japanese public broadcaster NHK, which added that it was felt only slightly. The US Tsunami Warning System has also warned of "hazardous tsunami waves" in the coming hours along parts of the Russian and Japanese coasts. A low-level tsunami watch has also been issued for the US state of Hawaii, the island territory of Guam and other islands in Micronesia. The governor of Kamchatka, Vladimir Solodov, said in a video posted on Telegram that the "earthquake was serious and the strongest in decades." He said there were no injuries reported, but that a kindergarten had sustained damage. The local branch of Russia's Ministry for Emergency Services said that a tsunami wave up to 32 cm (1 foot) high might reach the Kamchatka coast, as it urged people to move away from the coastline. The governor of Sakhalin, an island across the Sea of Okhotsk from Kamchatka, said an evacuation order had been declared for the town of Severo-Kurilsk. Kamchatka, Russia's Far East and Japan sit on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, a region known for its high levels of seismic activity that is prone to large earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
Int'l Business Times
5 days ago
- Int'l Business Times
England's Lionesses Party In London After Euro 2025 Triumph
England's victorious Lionesses were feted by thousands of ecstatic fans in London on Tuesday during an open-top bus parade to celebrate their dramatic Euro 2025 triumph. Sarina Wiegman's team successfully defended their European crown by beating world champions Spain on penalties in the Swiss city of Basel on Sunday, sparking an outpouring of national joy. They flew home on Monday and were immediately whisked to 10 Downing Street, the working home of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, for a reception. On Tuesday it was the turn of fans to celebrate the astonishing success of the Lionesses, who repeatedly defied the odds during their run to glory in Switzerland. Two buses emblazoned with the words "European Champions" set off from the bottom of The Mall, the road leading to Buckingham Palace, under grey skies shortly after midday. Captain Leah Williamson held the Euro 2025 trophy in the air and supporters responded with cheers and by waving their flags. The decibel count rouse as the bus crawled along the road, lined with Union flags and the St George's Cross, led by a military band. The huge crowds then swarmed down the road towards Buckingham Palace to party with the squad, with two large screens showing tournament highlights. An emotional Williamson was first to speak from a stage outside Buckingham Palace, saying she had been crying all the way down The Mall. "There's lots of ways to win a football match, and we repeatedly did it the hard way," she said. "But I think that you can see how much we care about playing for England, how much we love it. "(Victory in) 2022 was a fairytale, but this feels really hard-earned, and we're very proud of ourselves." The skipper said the team had overcome adversity, including defeat to France in their opening match: "Nasty things to deal with, and still we rise." She added: "Everything we do, obviously we do it for us and our team, but we do it for the country, and we do it for the young girls. "This job never existed 30 or 40 years ago, and we're making history every single step. Thank you so much, thank you so much for being with us. Stay with us, this story's not done yet." Wiegman told the cheering crowds that her players "showed up" when they had to before dancing on stage with Nigerian singer Burna Boy. "I had hoped for a little less chaos but they didn't keep their promise to finish things quicker," she said. "But as we always have a plan, and we try to execute that, and the players on the pitch, and we just kept having hope all the time, and belief, and they just showed up when it was really necessary and urgent." Victory in Switzerland was sweet revenge for Wiegman's team, who suffered bitter defeat against Spain in the World Cup final two years ago. The Lionesses were hosted at number 10 on Monday by Deputy Prime minister Angela Rayner and Sports Minister Stephanie Peacock while Starmer was in Scotland meeting US President Donald Trump. Rayner hailed the players as a "shining example of talent and excitement for women's football". Thousands of fans packed The Mall to celebrate England's Euro 2025 triumph AFP Chloe Kelly celebrates after England beat Spain to win Euro 2025 AFP
Int'l Business Times
6 days ago
- Int'l Business Times
'This Is No Vacation': Young Poles Do Summer Army Bootcamp
Sweating and out of breath, young Poles throw grenades and practise evacuating the wounded at a training ground outside Warsaw. Instead of relaxing at the beach, they have chosen to do army drills over the summer holidays. Nearly 10,000 men and women have volunteered for the month-long, paid "Vacation with the Army" programme, which the defence ministry launched to promote military service among young people as Poland beefs up its security. The EU and NATO member -- which borders Belarus, Russia and Ukraine -- has been strengthening its defensive assets since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 out of fear that it could be next. "The training includes shooting and tactics classes, field studies, and general air defence," said lieutenant Patrycja Adamska, spokeswoman for the army's 10th Car Regiment, one of the units involved in the programme. "The recruits have an opportunity to experience the discipline of soldier life," she told AFP. The participants, most of them 18 to 20 years old, spend 27 days in a unit, after which they are awarded a rank and can continue service or become part of the reserve personnel. Michal Piekut, a master's student in international security, was surprised by the rigour of the drills. Sporting camouflage paint and in full uniform, the 29-year-old was barely standing from the exertion. "This is no vacation, it's intensive military training. I thought I wouldn't make it," he told AFP after dragging a heavy munition chest across many metres of sandy terrain. "Nobody fainted yet, but the day is young," he deadpanned. Lieutenant Michal Gelej from the army recruitment office said the programme "constitutes a wonderful alternative to summer jobs", as a payout of 1,400 euros awaits those who complete it. Goran Meredith, a 19-year-old American studies student at the University of Warsaw, said the money and summer timing allowed him to participate, otherwise he "wouldn't have time to be here". The ongoing war in Ukraine was another incentive. Piekut said he was considering a future military career: "I want to become a reserve soldier, and if need be, serve my homeland." Just after Russia's Ukraine invasion, Poland adopted a homeland security law that included the goal of "enlarging military personnel". It also updated its voluntary conscription programme in 2022 with an eye towards increasing the army reserve. It drew nearly 90,000 candidates over the years 2023 and 2024. The defence ministry launched the "Vacation with the Army" programme last year, along with exercises in schools and weekend boot camps for civilians, promoted by a large-scale social media campaign. "The Ukrainian example teaches us that the professional army gets used up in about a year" if it cannot draw on adequate reserves, said Bartosz Marczuk, a Sobieski Institute expert who co-authored a report on the idea of introducing mandatory military training in Poland. "We are the largest country on NATO's eastern flank, and its keystone of security," he added. Marczuk said that any reintroduction of mandatory army service -- which Poland ended in 2009 -- would need to be preceded by voluntary programs. "That's why all initiatives of this sort have to be supported," he told AFP. In March, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced that by 2027, Poland will expand its voluntary military training program to accommodate 100,000 recruits per year, in order to create "an army of reservists". Piekut doubted whether his compatriots were up to the task. "Most adults could not handle it. There are very high requirements, physically, psychologically, and in terms of discipline," he said. Meredith agreed: "We're in our first week and 10 people have quit already, so it speaks for itself". Nearly 10,000 men and women have volunteered for the month-long, paid 'Vacation with the Army' programme AFP A military instructor keeps an eye on volunteers during a military training that is part of the "Vacation with the Army" project AFP
