Via Marita Moloney & Oliver SlowBBC News18 December 2023Updated 14 mins agoVideo caption, Impressive helicopter pictures display the eruption at the island’s coastA volcano has erupted at the Reykjanes peninsula of south-west Iceland after weeks of intense earthquake process.About 4,000 folks had been previous evacuated from the fishing the city of Grindavik and the within sight Blue Lagoon geothermal spa was once closed.The eruption began north of the city at 22:17 native time (22:17 GMT), the Icelandic Met Workplace mentioned.It’ll now not carry the similar stage of disruption as one in 2010, which halted Eu air shuttle, knowledgeable mentioned.The area across the capital Reykjavik has been experiencing an build up in earthquake process since overdue October.The Met Workplace mentioned that the eruption was once positioned about 4km (2.5 miles) north-east of Grindavik and the seismic process was once shifting against the city.Photographs and movies posted on social media confirmed lava bursting from the volcano simply an hour after an earthquake swarm, or seismic occasions, had been detected.The eruption may also be observed from Reykjavik, which is set 42km (26 miles) north-east of Grindavik.One eyewitness there informed the BBC that part of the sky within the course of the city was once “lit up in crimson” from the eruption, and smoke might be observed billowing into the air.Police have warned folks to avoid the world.The duration of the crack within the volcano is set 3.5km, with the lava flowing at a fee of round 100 to 200 cubic metres consistent with 2d, the Met Workplace mentioned. It added that this was once time and again greater than in earlier eruptions at the Reykjanes peninsula lately.A senior police officer on the Civil Defence informed nationwide broadcaster RUV that the eruption had came about temporarily and gave the impression to be “slightly a big tournament”.Vidir Reynisson mentioned the lava gave the impression to be flowing in all instructions from a big crack within the volcano.Iceland’s overseas minister, Bjarni Benediktsson mentioned on X, previously Twitter, that “there aren’t any disruptions to flights to and from Iceland, and world flight corridors stay open”. “The jets [of lava] are slightly prime, so apparently to be a formidable eruption in the beginning,” he mentioned.Iceland has been on prime alert for a possible volcano eruption for a number of weeks, and final month government ordered folks to depart Grindavík as a precaution. There have been no studies of accidents as of 08:00 GMT.Volcanologist Dr Evgenia Ilyinskaya informed the BBC that there would now not be the similar stage of disruption as 2010, as those volcanoes in south-west Iceland are “bodily now not in a position to generate the similar ash clouds”. The Eyjafjallajokul volcano, in south Iceland, is set 140km (87 miles) from the volcano at the Reykjanes peninsula.Talking from Iceland, Dr Ilyinskaya, affiliate professor of volcanology at Leeds College, mentioned native folks were each “fearing and looking ahead to” the volcano to erupt.”There was once numerous uncertainty. It was once a hard time frame for native folks,” she mentioned. She added that government had been getting ready for possible lava flows that might break houses and infrastructure, together with the Blue Lagoon, a well-liked vacationer vacation spot. “In this day and age it sort of feels to not be threatening, even though it is still observed,” she mentioned. Symbol supply, KRISTIN ELISABET GUNNARSDOTTIRImage caption, An eyewitness informed the BBC that part of the sky was once “lit up in crimson” from the eruption, and smoke might be observed billowing into the airImage supply, ICELANDIC COAST GUARDImage caption, Photographs confirmed lava bursting from the volcanoImage supply, KRISTIN ELISABET GUNNARSDOTTIRImage caption, Police have warned folks to avoid the areaImage supply, ICELANDIC COAST GUARDImage caption, The area across the capital Reykjavik has been experiencing an build up in earthquake process since overdue OctoberImage supply, OSKAR GRIMUR KRISTJANSSONImage caption, About 4,000 folks had been previous evacuated from the fishing the city of Grindavik final monthIceland’s Top Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir mentioned defences not too long ago built would have a favorable impact.She mentioned her ideas had been with the local people and he or she was once hoping for the most efficient regardless of the “vital tournament”.President Gudni Johannesson mentioned safeguarding lives was once the primary precedence however that each effort could be made to give protection to constructions too.Please come with a touch quantity if you’re keen to talk to a BBC journalist. 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