Iceland volcano erupts amid series of earthquakes

An Icelandic volcano has come back to life after a series of nearby earthquakes shook it awake, the Icelandic Met Office reported Wednesday.

On Wednesday morning, a magnitude 4.6 earthquake was recorded on the east side of Fagradalsfjall volcano, raising further concerns about volcanic action. An hour later it started to crack.

According to IMO, an eruption of a volcanic fissure about 100 to 200 meters long has left new magma above a lava field created by eruptions in the area last year.

The IMO has urged people not to go near the volcano, which is located about 20 miles south of the country’s capital, Reykjavik, and the nearby Keflavík airport. According to her statement, the volcanic gas in the area could be dangerous.

However, the IMO said it does not believe the eruption will cancel flights or move to the city.

The IMO has recorded more than 3,000 earthquakes in the past week. The most intense was a 5.4 earthquake northeast of Grindavík on July 31.

Last year, a six-month eruption of Fagradalsfjall broke an 80-year dormancy period from volcanic eruptions in the area.

Tourists flocked to the site from March to September 2021 to see and burp the lava bubble. Now, almost a year later, the same volcano is active.

IMO said it saw the signs reviving last year’s eruption.

“There is evidence that the deformation and seismicity are decreasing and this was a harbinger of the eruption that started on March 19, 2021,” the IMO said in a statement on Tuesday. “Given all of the above, the likelihood of an eruption at Fagradalsfjall in the coming days is considered significant.”

A day later, the office confirmed the revival of the visual phenomenon.