Iceland's imminent volcano erupts following weeks of seismic activity

A volcanic eruption started on Monday night, December 18, on Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula, casting an orange hue across the sky and prompting heightened alerts from the country's civil defence.

The region in Iceland's southwest, situated atop a volcanic hotspot, had already been experiencing weeks of continuous seismic activity.

What happened?

• The eruption, located approximately 4 kilometres from the coastal town of Grindavik, was first captured on grainy webcam footage, showing magma flowing along a hill's ridge.
• Vidir Reynisson, head of Iceland’s Civil Protection and Emergency Management, described it as a significant event, told the Associated Press, "The magma flow seems to be at least a hundred cubic meters per second, maybe more."

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• According to Reuters, the crack in the earth's surface measured around 3.5 km, growing rapidly.
• The eruption, spewing 100 to 200 cubic meters of lava per second, exceeded previous occurrences in the region.

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Response

• Authorities, having evacuated Grindavik earlier due to heightened seismic activity, were on high alert.
• According to AP, the authorities also indicated the potential southwest movement of magma.
• Reykjavik's Keflavik International Airport remained open, though delays were reported for arrivals and departures.

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Iceland's volcanic history

• Situated atop a volcanic hot spot, Iceland has a bit of a volcanic history.
• Positioned between two of the Earth's largest tectonic plates, the Eurasian and North American plates, Iceland stands as a prime seismic and volcanic hotspot, where both of these plates diverge.
• In November, Grindavik faced a midnight earthquake, which saw the roads cracked and buildings suffering structural damage.
• According to experts, the eruption was inevitable.

• According to Reuters, the constant volcanic activity in the region leading up to the Monday eruption, saw a bunch of tourists flocking in to see the spectacle. 

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