Iceland volcano erupts after weeks of earthquakes and evacuations

A volcano in Iceland has erupted, spewing lava and red smoke plumes following weeks of earthquake activity and evacuations.

The volcanic eruption happened on Monday evening near the fishing town of Grindavik in the southwest, according to the country’s Meteorological Office.

‘Warning: Eruption has started north of Grindavik by Hagafell,’ stated the Met Office on its website.

A live stream of the eruption showed bright yellow and orange lava shooting up from fissures on the volcano and intense red smoke billowing up in the black night.

The lava fountains reached as high as 330 feet and could be seen from the capital of Reykjavik.

Police on November 10 ordered nearly 4,000 residents in Grindavik to evacuate after detecting magma underneath the town.

The famous Blue Lagoon was closed and warnings were issued to tourists.

A coast guard helicopter is set to determine the size and exact coordinates of the eruption, said the Met Office.

There were no immediate disruptions at Keflavík International Airport.

Iceland has more than 30 active volcanic systems and is a hotspot for such activity because it sits over tectonic plates flowing in opposite directions.

It is the first time in a half century that a fairly large population has been fully evacuated ahead of a possible eruption.

Major concerns include that the lava could reach Grindavik or the Svartsengi geothermal power plant which provides electricity and heat for roughly 30,000 residents, said University of Iceland geophysics professor Magnús Tumi Guðmundsson.

‘There could be quite some disruption and a lot of damage,’ Guðmundsson told The Washington Post before the eruption. ‘It’s quite serious when you have to evacuate 3,700 people and you don’t know when they can return.’

Since late October, thousands of earthquakes have been recorded in Iceland. Authorities declared a state of emergency in Grindavik in November amid damage to homes and roads.

‘We are looking at a worst-case scenario,’ volcanologist Thorvaldur Thordarson told The New York Times of the threat to the town and power plant.

‘The eruption appears big, and only about two kilometers from major infrastructure.’

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