Latest news with #lava
The National
5 days ago
- The National
Best photos of July 18: Wildfires in France to drying tomatoes in Tunisia
People walk past dried lava from previous volcanic activity as they make their way to watch the fresh eruption near Grindavik, Reykjanes, in south-west Iceland. EPA
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Video Shows Massive Volcano Erupting in Iceland
A volcano in Iceland erupted on Wednesday, July 16, 2025 near the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland. Intense seismic activity before the Sundhnukur volcano eruption prompted Icelandic authorities to evacuate surrounding areas, including hotels and the popular Blue Lagoon resort nearby. The Icelandic Meteorological Office reported the eruption officially began at 3:56 a.m. local time. Following updates from the office noted that the fissure in the earth's crust where lava was flowing was roughly 700 to 1,000 meters long, with lava flowing southeast and not approaching any infrastructure. The office's updates also include some photos of lava flowing as well as images displaying where the gas pollution from the eruption is heading. A video, published by afarTV, of the eruption provides the clearest look the impressive scene, though. A link to the video can be found here. Iceland's meteorological office began reporting updates on the situation at 1:20 a.m. local time, noting, "Intense seismic swarm has started on the Sundhnúksgígar Crater Row and monitoring data is indicating that an dike intrusion has started." "The likelihood of an eruption remains high while the intrusion is ongoing," the report continued. The office also reported later in the day at 8:45 a.m. local time a warning about dangerous "Witch's hair" in the area of the eruption. "These are fine glass fibers formed when lava droplets cool rapidly and stretch," the report noted. "They are very light and can travel long distances. Witch's hair can cause skin and eye irritation, and people are advised to take precautions when outdoors near the eruption site." The most recent update from the office, published at noon local time, noted the eruption has spread and "is no longer confined to a single fissure." The original fissure, which was as big as one kilometer has now spread to roughly 2.4 kilometers, or just over one mile, and another fissure has opened up that's roughly 500 meters wide. This is the 12th eruption for Iceland in just the last four years, according to Al-Jazeera. Video Shows Massive Volcano Erupting in Iceland first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 16, 2025 Solve the daily Crossword
Bloomberg
6 days ago
- Bloomberg
Why Do Iceland's Volcanoes Keep Erupting, and How Dangerous Are They?
Repeated volcanic eruptions have rocked southwestern Iceland since December 2023, and the island's inhabitants are getting used to the sight of lava spewing near populated areas. For the wider world, the eruptions have rekindled memories of the Eyjafjallajokull explosion of 2010, when vast volcanic ash clouds grounded air traffic across Europe for weeks. Scientists say the recent bout of heightened volcanic activity in the country known as 'the land of fire and ice' may go on for centuries. Yes and no. While the country experiences a volcanic eruption every five years on average — of varying nature, size and scope — the current series of eruptions is something even Icelanders aren't used to. The ground has ripped open 12 times since 2021 in the Reykjanes Peninsula. Hardly any of the previous eruptions had taken place in or near inhabited areas. This time around, the fishing community of Grindavik, which was home to almost 3,700 people, has been devastated. The glow in the sky from lava gushing out of the ground is now sometimes visible to residents of the capital, Reykjavik.
The Guardian
6 days ago
- The Guardian
Volcano on Reykjanes peninsula in Iceland erupts for ninth time since 2023
A volcano erupted on Wednesday on Iceland's Reykjanes peninsula in the south-west of the country, the ninth eruption in region since the end of 2023. The Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) said the eruption had begun just before 4am local time (05:00 BST), and live video feeds showed lava spewing from a fissure in the ground. The IMO later said the main fissure was about 1.5 miles (2.4km) long, and that a second fissure of about 500 metres long had opened up nearby. Residents were advised to say indoors because high levels of toxic gas in the air. The broadcaster RUV reported that a nearby fishing village, Grindavík, had been evacuated, as had the Blue Lagoon spa, a famous tourist spot. Police commissioner Margrét Kristín Pálsdóttir told RUV the evacuation of about 100 people had gone smoothly. She also said police 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,' she said. Benedikt Ófeigsson, a geophysicist with the IMO, told RUV that the eruption didn't seem as big as earlier ones and was not near any infrastructure. The last eruption in the area was in April, and a risk assessment published on Tuesday didn't expect another eruption until the autumn. When the first eruption took place in late 2023, most of Grindavík's 4,000 residents were evacuated. Almost all of the homes in the village have since been sold to the state, and most of the residents have left. Volcanoes on the Reykjanes peninsula had not erupted for eight centuries when a period of heightened seismic activity began in March 2021. Sign up to This is Europe The most pressing stories and debates for Europeans – from identity to economics to the environment after newsletter promotion Volcanologists have said in recent years that activity in the region had entered a new era. RUV said the latest eruption was not expected to affect international flights. An eruption in another part of Iceland in 2010 caused worldwide travel chaos when an ash cloud forced the closure of airspace. Iceland has 33 active volcanic systems, more than any other European country. It is located on the mid-atlantic ridge, a fault line in the ocean floor between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates.
The National
6 days ago
- The National
Iceland volcano eruption forces residents and spa tourists to be evacuated
Dramatic pictures show lava spewing into the air as a volcano erupted in south-western Iceland. The seismic activity took place on the Reykjanes Peninsula south-west of capital Reykjavik on Wednesday at about 4am, Iceland's Met Office said. It forced residents and tourists at the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa to be evacuated, the national broadcaster RUV reported. About 100 people were evacuated from the nearby town of Grindavik. Tourists at a campsite and guests at the Blue Lagoon were also forced to leave, RUV reported. Police commissioner Margret Palsdottir told AP the evacuation went smoothly and lasted about 90 minutes. 'Of course, people have different opinions on whether the evacuation is necessary, but it is a decision we make and take responsibility for,' she said. Lava from the eruption continued to flow south-east from a fissure of 700 to 1,000 metres wide but was not threatening infrastructure, the Met Office said. Grindavik has been affected by activity since November 2023 when a volcano came to life after lying dormant for 800 years. Watch: Reykjanes volcano eruption in August 2024
