Iceland again witnessed volcanic activity: a new volcanic eruption occurred on the Reykjanes peninsula, which is only 30 kilometers from the capital Reykjavik. This is already the seventh eruption in this region for the current year and the tenth since the resumption of volcanic activity in 2021, after 800 years of volcanic rest.
The underground activity that preceded this eruption was anticipated by scientists due to the accumulation of magma below the earth's surface. The previous eruption in the area ended only on September 6, and since then the region has again become the object of increased attention.
Local residents, particularly in the fishing town of Grindavik, which previously had a population of about 4,000, remain evacuated after earlier threats. The city became almost deserted, and lava flow barriers were erected to protect important infrastructure facilities, such as the power plant and the popular Blue Lagoon spa complex.
Scientists emphasize that Iceland is on the border of two tectonic plates — Eurasian and North American, which makes the country one of the most active seismic zones in the world. They predict that volcanic activity on the Reykjanes Peninsula could last for decades or even centuries. However, according to scientists, new eruptions will not cause large-scale destruction, as happened during the eruption of the Eyjafjörður volcano in 2010, which paralyzed air traffic in Europe due to ash clouds.
