Volcano on Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula erupts for the 7th time in a year

A new volcanic eruption that started on the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland, Wednesday, Nov.20, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco di Marco)

GRINDAVIK, Iceland (AP) — A volcano erupted with lava spewing from a fissure on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwestern Iceland late Wednesday evening. It was its seventh eruption since December.

Iceland’s meteorological office that monitors seismic activity said Wednesday’s eruption occurred at 11:14 p.m. creating a fissure around 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) long, but estimated the eruption is considerable smaller than the previous eruption in August.

While the eruption poses no threat to aviation, authorities are warning of gas warning across parts of the peninsula, including the nearby town of Grindavik.

The repeated volcanic eruptions close to Grindavík, a town of 3,800 people about 50 kilometers (30 miles) southwest of the capital, Reykjavik, have damaged infrastructure and property and forced many residents to relocate to guarantee their safety.

Authorities say the town is not threatened further by this latest eruption.

The Associated Press

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