On Monday, a volcano in southwestern Iceland resumed its eruption after 11 months of inactivity, according to the country’s meteorological authorities.
The eruption is taking place in an uninhabited valley near the mountain Litli-Hrútur, approximately 30 kilometers (19 miles) southwest of the capital city, Reykjavik.
This area, known as the Fagradalsfjall volcano, has experienced two eruptions in the past two years without causing any damage or disruptions to flights, despite its proximity to Keflavik Airport, Iceland’s main international air traffic hub.
The airport remained operational on Monday, with no flight disruptions reported.
“At first glance, the lava fissure appears to be small,” said television reporter Kristjan Unnarsson, who witnessed the eruption from a helicopter about an hour after it began. Authorities have advised against trekking to the volcano, stating that further developments need to be observed.
A previous eruption in the same area in 2021 lasted for several months and attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors who marveled at the spectacular lava flows.
Iceland, located above a volcanic hotspot in the North Atlantic, experiences eruptions on average every four to five years.
The most disruptive eruption in recent history was the 2010 eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano, which caused widespread airspace closures over Europe due to the massive ash clouds it emitted. This led to the grounding of over 100,000 flights and stranded millions of travelers for days due to concerns about potential damage to jet engines caused by the volcanic ash.
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