The government said that flights are unlikely to be affected, dismissing concerns about international travel disruption reminiscent of the chaos caused by the ash cloud from an eruption in 2010.
The eruption on Monday on the Reykjanes peninsula in southwest Iceland sent lava and smoke more than 100 meters (330 feet) into the air after weeks of intense seismic activity. According to an Icelandic government statement, the eruption poses no threat to life, and there are no disruptions to flights to and from Iceland; international flight corridors remain open.
Last month, authorities evacuated nearly 4,000 inhabitants of the fishing town of Grindavik, located about 40 km (25 miles) southwest of the capital city Reykjavik.
Live footage of the eruption showed bright yellow, orange, and red lava against the sky. The eruption opened a 4 km (2.5 mile) fissure from which lava fountains emerged. However, the crack’s southernmost point was still 3 km away from Grindavik, according to Iceland’s Meteorological Office.
Geologist Bjorn Oddson confirmed that the eruption is taking place north of the watershed, so lava is not flowing towards Grindavik.
Situated between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates, Iceland is a seismic and volcanic hotspot due to the plates moving in opposite directions.
The eruption, occurring about 30 km from Reykjavik, has not significantly disrupted Keflavik international airport, which remains open. The Blue Lagoon, a popular geothermal spa, is closer to the eruption site and has been mostly closed due to the seismic activity.
The duration of the eruption is uncertain, and while the current location appears fortunate, there is still a potential threat to Grindavik. Lava flows have decreased from the initial eruption, and experts are closely monitoring the situation.
Comparing it to the 2010 Eyafjallajokull eruption, which caused widespread flight disruptions, weather forecasting service AccuWeather stated that the current eruption is different and preliminary information suggests minimal impact on air travel. Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter mentioned that if little to no volcanic ash is released into the atmosphere, aviation is likely to remain unaffected.
(Inputs from Reuters)
