A volcanic eruption in Iceland put the country under a state of emergency overnight Sunday morning. A lava flow hurtled towards Grindavik, a town of 3,800 people, almost killing them.
This is the fourth eruption in three months on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwestern Iceland. The eruption started overnight, opening a crack about two miles long in the earth and allowing lava to flow out, according to the Icelandic Meteorological Office.
Grindavik was evacuated during the region’s first eruption in December, the first volcanic activity in the region in 800 years. The few people who returned to their homes were evacuated again on Saturday.
Icelandic authorities said a defensive wall built to guard against further eruptions had shifted the lava flow around the town.
The first two eruptions in December and January lasted several days, but one eruption last month lasted just a few hours. An eruption in January destroyed several buildings in the town.
Geophysicist Magnus Tumi Gudmundsson said Sunday’s eruption was believed to be the largest of the four eruptions. told Icelandic outlet RUV..
There have been no confirmed deaths from the four eruptions, but one worker is missing after reportedly falling into a fissure in the volcano.
No flight disruptions were reported at nearby Keflavik Airport, Iceland’s main airport.
The Associated Press contributed.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
