Iceland volcano erupts near capital after magnitude 5.2 earthquake rocks nation

Iceland has been shaken by a volcanic eruption that happened just hours after the country had recorded a 5.2-magnitude earthquake. 

Drone footage shows lava spewing from the crater.  

The eruption is taking place on the Reykjanes Peninsula, located some 30 kilometres away from Reykjavík, Iceland’s capital.

The same area had been the stage of eruptions also in 2021 and 2022. 

The eruption was largely expected by expert following days of intense seismic activity in the area.

Matthew Roberts from the Iceland’s Meteorological Office (IMO) said: “At the moment, it’s a very small eruption.” 

The country’s main airport, Keflavik, is currently not affected by the eruption.

The current scenario is much different to that following the major eruption in 2010 of Eyjafjallajokull.

Then, the large plumes of ash released by the volcano for days forced some 100,000 flights to be cancelled across Europe due to visibility issues, affecting more than 10 million people.

Iceland often experiences volcanic eruptions as it is home to 30 volcanic systems and more than 600 hot springs.

Its location on the mid-Atlantic ridge where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet make the nation one of the most geologically active areas in the world.

READ MORE: World’s largest active volcano on island visited by millions ‘will erupt again’

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