An Icelandic volcano is erupting for the 4th time since December

The skies of southwestern Iceland turned fiery crimson over the weekend as a volcano erupted for a fourth time in simply three months.

The eruption, which is the strongest of 4 blasts since December, occurred close to the fishing village of  Grindavik — about 30 miles southwest of the nation’s capital. In keeping with the Iceland Meteorological Workplace, the eruption opened a fissure — or crack — within the Earth, measuring practically two miles lengthy. 

Hundreds of residents within the city had already been evacuated after the preliminary eruption final yr. A small variety of others who had returned dwelling have been evacuated once more over the weekend.

Iceland’s Blue Lagoon geothermal spa — a well-liked vacationer attraction — was additionally evacuated.

Regardless of having just a few minutes of warning earlier than the eruption despatched flames and lava spewing into the sky, officers stated there have been no studies of accidents or property harm. Nevertheless, a person was reported lacking after apparently falling into one of many fissures opened by the volcano.

Iceland is a volcanic hotspot, being positioned on a divergent tectonic boundary the place North American and Eurasian plates deep beneath the Earth’s floor are shifting aside. The island is dwelling to quite a few energetic volcanoes, with eruptions occurring comparatively ceaselessly in geological phrases. 

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