Volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwest Iceland

On August 22 local time, a volcano on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwest Iceland erupted.

According to the Icelandic National Broadcasting Company, the eruption began at 21:26 local time. Before that, a series of small earthquakes had occurred near the crater. The Icelandic Meteorological Office said in a statement that the length of the eruption fissure is 3.9 kilometers. Live broadcasts showed that hot magma gushed out from the ground, and the bright yellow and orange contrasted sharply with the dark night sky.

This is the sixth volcanic eruption in this area since December 2023. On May 29 this year, a volcanic eruption also occurred on the Reykjanes Peninsula and lasted until late June.

Affected by this volcanic eruption, an emergency evacuation has been carried out in Grindavík town in the south of the Reykjanes Peninsula, the famous tourist attraction "Blue Lagoon" in Iceland nearby, and the nearby Svartsengi power station. However, the Icelandic Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on social media that this volcanic eruption has limited impact on the local area and has not affected domestic and international flights.

Iceland is located in the active volcanic zone of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. There are many volcanoes and frequent geological activities. The Icelandic Meteorological Office has been continuously monitoring the state of this volcano. In the period before the eruption, the seismic activity in this area became more and more frequent, showing similar phenomena as observed in the days before the last eruption, and the amount of magma detected is greater than before. Relevant departments will continue to closely monitor the volcanic activity to ensure the safety of life and property of local residents and the stability of the ecological environment.