A volcano in Iceland has erupted again, marking the third time since December and the second eruption this year.
This event has caused disruptions in the Reykjanes peninsula, located in the southwest of Iceland.
Streams of bright orange molten rock burst out of cracks in the ground, shooting up to 80 meters (260 feet) into the air.
Lava even flowed across a road near the Blue Lagoon, a popular geothermal spa that had to close its doors.
The eruption has also impacted the supply of hot water to over 20,000 people in the region south of the capital, Reykjavík, due to damage to thermal-based water pipes.
As a result, the Civil Protection Agency has raised its alert level to an emergency status and urged households and businesses to conserve electricity.
It may take several days to restore hot water through an emergency pipeline currently under construction.
While volcanic eruptions in the Reykjanes peninsula are usually not explosive, they can continue for years.
To mitigate potential risks, authorities are constructing barriers to redirect lava away from homes and vital infrastructure.
The lava flow is currently about 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) from the Svartsengi geothermal power plant.
Protective barriers have been erected, and workers are actively trying to fill in gaps along the road to prevent the lava from reaching the plant.
The eruption, which began with intense earthquake activity in the early hours of the morning, has generated a plume of smoke rising 3 kilometers (2 miles) into the air.
Despite this, the Reykjavik International Airport remains operational.
This recent eruption, the sixth since 2021, follows a previous one that occurred in mid-January, causing evacuations in the Grindavík fishing town.
While this eruption poses less direct threat to Grindavík, authorities are closely monitoring the situation as land continues to rise due to underground magma accumulation.
Icelandic President Guðni Jóhannesson shared an image on social media of the eruption from his residence, expressing solidarity with the affected residents of Grindavík.
Although authorities have downgraded the volcanic threat level, they caution that further eruptions are possible as the land continues to shift.
The Reykjanes peninsula, with its six active volcanic systems, may experience eruptions intermittently for decades or even centuries.
Unlike the Eyjafjallajökull volcano, which caused widespread disruptions in 2010, the Reykjanes volcanic systems are not under glaciers, minimizing the risk of large ash clouds that could affect air travel.
Iceland, known for its numerous active volcanoes, attracts tourists interested in volcano-related activities, making it a popular destination despite the occasional eruptions.
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