Reykjavik [Iceland], March 18 : The volcanic eruption in Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula is the largest of the four recent ones in the area and has left the sky with plumes of smoke and orange hues, according to The Washington Post. According to the initial assessments, the eruption was the largest of the four recent ones since swarms of earthquakes caused the Svartsengi volcanic system to awaken for the first time in almost 800 years. The orange hues and the smoke were seen from the Icelandic capital, Reykjavik, according to photos. The volcano that erupted on Saturday in southwestern Iceland has been recorded for the fourth time in three months, reported The Washington Post.
The eruption led to destructive lava flowing towards the town of Grindavik, prompting the evacuation of the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa resort and the nearby town of Grindavik, amid emergency warnings. Moreover, it quickly formed a 1.8-mile-long fissure in the ground, the Icelandic Meteorological Office said. Lava was still flowing early Sunday, and footage of the eruption was being live-streamed by RUV, Iceland's national broadcaster, according to The Washington Post. However, there was no such information available about the scale of damage or possible casualties. The sky around Mount Hagafell and Mount Stora Skogfell was captured, turning a molten orange as people watched and emergency services prepared to respond. Early Sunday, lava was flowing towards the south and southeast at a pace of about 0.62 mph, the Meteorological Office said.
If that pace continues, it said, lava could reach the ocean which can send steam flying and, in some cases, cause explosions of lava fragments that can be dangerous to anyone nearby, it added. According to the local media, following the alert, authorities moved to evacuate people from the area, including the Blue Lagoon, one of the country's most popular tourist attractions. Iceland is one of the most active volcanic areas on the planet. Instead of having a central volcano, the Reykjanes Peninsula is dominated by a rift valley, with lava fields and cones, CNN reported.
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