A volcano in Grindavík, Iceland — located in the southwest region of the country — erupted on Wednesday.
Video of the volcano showed lava spewing into the air. According to the Icelandic Meteorological Office, the volcano shot lava about 50 meters (about 165 feet) high and came from a fissure that is about 1 kilometer long (about 1,100 yards).
The eruption took place in the early afternoon, compounding multiple earthquakes that happened just north of Grindavík. The Icelandic Meteorological Office’s website showed that there were over 20 earthquakes in the region over a two hour period.
Icelandic volcanist Ármann Höskuldsson, explained that with the amount of earthquakes, it was just a matter of time before eruptions followed.
“Something has started to shake, and this will obviously end in an eruption,” he told Visir. “If this continues, it is very likely that an eruption will occur near Sundhnúkar.”
Sundhnúkar is a volcanic hill in the same peninsula as Grindavík. The Reykjanes peninsula has dealt with multiple volcanic eruptions since 2021 when dormant volcanoes became active again. On Wednesday, Grindavík, which has a population of 3,800 people, was evacuated, as well as the famous Blue Lagoon spa.
Iceland has experienced several issues with volcanic eruptions in recent times. In 2010, the Eyjafjallajökull volcano — part of a volcanic system in the east of the country — erupted and casted clouds of ash into the air that forced aerial shutdowns across Europe.
The Svartsengi volcanic system — which is home to Sundhnúkar — was dormant for nearly 800 years prior to reawakening a few years ago.
Dr. Sarah Adams is a scientist and science communicator who makes complex topics accessible to all. Her articles explore breakthroughs in various scientific disciplines, from space exploration to cutting-edge research.
