COPENHAGEN, Aug 3 (Reuters) – A volcano has erupted on a mountain near Iceland’s capital Reykjavík after days of increased earthquake activity in the area, Iceland’s Meteorological Office said on Wednesday Iceland (IMO).
Footage and live broadcasts by local media outlets MBL and RUV showed lava and smoke pouring from a fissure in the ground next to Fagradalsfjall mountain, which last year saw an eruption that lasted for six months.
Tourists and residents should avoid the area due to toxic gases, although there was no immediate risk of damage to critical infrastructure, the Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management said in a statement.
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A “code red” was declared to ban aircraft from flying over the site, although helicopters were sent to survey the situation, the IMO told Reuters.
If the outbreak is confirmed to be similar to fissures seen last year, the aviation alert would likely be downgraded to orange, indicating less danger, an agency spokesman said.
“Currently, there has been no disruption to flights there from Iceland and international flight corridors remain open,” the country’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
The Reykjanes Peninsula is a volcanic and seismic hotspot, and the outbreak occurred just 25 km (15 mi) from Reykjavík and 15 km from the country’s international airport.
In March last year, lava fountains erupted spectacularly in the area from a fissure 500 to 750 meters (1,640 to 2,460 feet) long, continuing until September and attracting thousands of Icelanders and tourists at the scene.
Unlike the 2010 eruption of the ice-capped Eyjafjallajokull volcano, which grounded about 100,000 flights and forced hundreds of Icelanders from their homes, this eruption is not expected to send much ash or smoke to the atmosphere
Located between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates, among the largest on the planet, Iceland suffers frequent earthquakes and has a lot of volcanic activity, as the two plates move in opposite directions.
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Reporting by Nikolaj Skydsgaard and Terje Solsvik; edited by Toby Chopra and Lisa Shumaker
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