Iceland: a volcanic eruption occurs after seismic activity

During the night, seismic activity intensified sharply and residents of Grindavik They were evacuated around 3:00 a.m. (local time and GMT), according to Icelandic public radio and television.

The eruption began around 8:00 a.m. north of Grindavik, according to the meteorological office, and video surveillance footage shows large flows of bright orange lava along a fissure.

This is the fifth volcanic eruption in Iceland in almost three years.

You can read: Iceland declares emergency after series of earthquakes and warns of volcano eruption

The previous one took place on December 18 in this same sector, about forty kilometers southwest of the capital, Reykjavík.

On November 11, authorities evacuated Grindavik, a small town of 4,000 inhabitants, as a precaution. In the previous days there were hundreds of earthquakes caused by the displacement of magma beneath the Earth's crust, a precursor sign of a volcanic eruption.

More news: Grindavik, the town in Iceland that sinks 4 cm a day due to volcanic activity

The authorities are also closely monitoring the Svartsengi geothermal power plant, located in the same sector and which supplies electricity and water to some 30,000 inhabitants. The facilities are protected by a wall.

Iceland is located between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates and is one of the most active volcanic regions on Earth, with 33 volcanoes or volcanic systems classified as active.

You can also read: