A volcano in Iceland has erupted for the sixth time since December last year.
On Thursday, red-hot lava and smoke began to pour from the Sundhnúks crater row in the Reykjanes Peninsula, located in the southwest of Iceland. Unlike tall, mountainous volcanoes, Sundhnúks erupts by splitting open a long crack in the ground.
The Icelandic government assured that the eruption is limited to the area near the site and does not pose a threat to life, though the nearby area has been evacuated. The Icelandic Meteorological Office, which monitors volcanic activity, had detected earthquakes earlier this week, signalling that an eruption might occur.
Since the eruption began, scientists have observed that the crack releasing lava is about 3.9 kilometres long. Although the lava is spreading across the land, it is not currently flowing toward the nearby fishing town of Grindavik.
Grindavik was previously evacuated in November 2023 when a different volcano, which had been dormant for 800 years, erupted. While some residents have returned for brief visits, many have not permanently returned due to ongoing volcanic activity. Authorities have since constructed barriers to redirect lava flows away from homes and vital buildings.
Iceland, located between two of the largest tectonic plates, is home to 33 active volcano systems.
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