Comment A massive volcano that erupted near a global travel hub, Iceland’s Keflavik airport, prompted a close watch by officials and sparked fascination with people venturing near the bright orange lava flows despite warnings. The Fagradalsfjall volcano in southwest Iceland erupted Wednesday at 1:18 p.m. local time, according to the Icelandic Meteorological Office, which urged people to stay away from the sparsely populated area on the Reykjavík peninsula — although some still came close to take pictures of children and flying drones. The eruption, described as a volcanic fissure, occurred about 10 miles from Keflavik International Airport and about 20 miles from the country’s capital, Reykjavik. As of Thursday morning, the airport – which has flights from Seattle, London and Frankfurt – remained open and operational. “There are currently no disruptions to flights to and from Iceland and international flight paths remain open,” the foreign ministry said in a statement. International travelers will remember the 2010 eruption of the country’s Eyjafjallajokull volcano, which spewed huge clouds of ash into the atmosphere, snarling air traffic and leaving millions of people stranded. “What we know so far is that the explosion poses no risk to residential areas or critical infrastructure,” Icelandic Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir said in a statement. “Of course we will continue to monitor the situation closely.” A volcanic fissure usually does not result in large eruptions or significant ash dispersal into the stratosphere. But people were warned to stay away because of the risk of noxious fumes and hot magma. “The explosion follows intense seismic activity in recent days,” the foreign ministry said. “It is considered relatively small and due to its location, there is a low threat to residential areas or critical infrastructure” The Senate approves Sweden and Finland joining NATO The exact location of the eruption is in Meradalir, about a mile north of Mount Stori-Hrutur, according to the Icelandic Meteorological Service. The region has experienced “strong earthquakes” in recent days, he added, warning of tremors, falling rocks and gas pollution. The same volcano also erupted last year, he said, and lasted about six months. Iceland’s new driving route explores the far north Volcanoes are a fact of life in Iceland, a country that sits atop the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, caused by the separation of the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. On average, the country experiences a volcanic event about every four years. However, the same geological activity is also responsible for some of the country’s most dramatic natural features, such as black sand beaches and geothermal lagoons, which attract millions of foreign tourists. A volcanic eruption has begun in SW Iceland🌋 The risk to residential areas and critical infrastructure is considered very low and there have been no flight disruptions. Follow @Vedurstofan for updates and check out this live stream from @mblfrettirhttps://t.co/ChoNxnR2Vp — MFA Iceland 🇮🇸 (@MFAIceland) August 3, 2022 The current volcanic response is being led by Iceland’s Civil Protection and Emergency Management department together with the Meteorological Office and the University of Iceland. Scientists are also in the area on Coast Guard helicopters to assess the situation, the government said.
