For the first time in 800 years, Geldingadalur, near Mount Fagradalsfjall on the Reykjanes Peninsula, experienced abundant lava flow on Friday, lighting up the sky with a red cloud.
This had not happened since 1240 in this part of Iceland.
“The eruption started at Fagradalsfjall in Geldingadalur around 8:45 pm GMT tonight.
The eruption is considered to be small in size, and the crack is about 500-700 meters long.
The lava is less than a square km in size, ”the Icelandic Meteorological Agency detailed in a statement.
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A red glow in the sky near Reykjavik, volcanic eruption in progress in Iceland
The police and the coast guard went to the scene, while the population was advised not to approach the scene.
The fishing port of Grindavik and the Icelandic international airport of Keflavik, located a few kilometers from this uninhabited area, should not be exposed to danger.
A magnitude 5.7 earthquake recorded in late February near Reykjavik, followed by an unusual number of smaller tremors, around 50,000, had led to increased surveillance of the region.
Magma had been spotted in recent days at Mount Fagradalsfjall.
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Iceland records intense volcanic activity.
The island has 32 active volcanoes, the highest number in Europe, with an average eruption every five years.
