​Iceland volcano erupts after weeks of quake activity, spews jets of lava

A volcano erupted on Monday in southwest Iceland, spewing lava and smoke across a wide area after weeks of intense earthquake activity, the country's Meteorological Office said. The crack in the earth's surface was around 3.5 km (2.1 miles) long and had grown rapidly, the Met Office said. (Image: Agencies)

Fearing a significant outbreak on the Reykjanes peninsula, authorities last month evacuated the nearly 4,000 inhabitants of the fishing town of Grindavik and closed the nearby Blue Lagoon geothermal spa. (Image: AP)

Visuals show molten rock spewing spectacularly from fissures in the ground, their bright-yellow and orange colours set in sharp contrast against the dark night sky. Some 100 to 200 cubic metres of lava emerged per second, several times more than in previous eruptions in the area. (Image: AP)

Reykjavik's nearby Keflavik International Airport remained open, albeit with numerous delays listed for both arrivals and departures. Local police said they had raised their alert level as a result of the outbreak and the country's civil defence warned the public not to approach the area while emergency personnel assessed the situation. (Image: Agencies)

The Reykjanes peninsula in recent years saw several eruptions in unpopulated areas, but the latest outbreak could pose a risk to the Grindavik town, authorities have said. (Reuters)

Reykjanes is a volcanic and seismic hot-spot southwest of the capital Reykjavik. In March 2021, lava fountains erupted from a 500-750-metre-long (1,640-2,460-foot-long) fissure in the ground in the Fagradalsfjall volcanic system. (Image: IANS)

Scientists say a new eruption would likely produce lava but not an ash cloud.A coast guard helicopter will attempt to confirm the exact location - and size - of the eruption, and will also measure gas emissions. (Image: IANS)