Iceland volcano erupts for fourth time in three months

A volcano in Iceland erupted for the fourth time in three months on Saturday evening. According to the Associated Press, Iceland’s Meteorological Office reported that the eruption occurred on the Reykjanes Peninsula, opening a fissure in the earth about 3 kilometers (almost 2 miles) long.

The Meteorological Office had warned for weeks that magma was accumulating under the ground, making an eruption likely. The recent eruption came after a series of earthquakes awakened Iceland’s Svartsengi volcanic system in November.

When the eruption began, hundreds of people were evacuated from the Blue Lagoon thermal spa, one of Iceland’s top tourist attractions. Despite the eruption site’s proximity to Grindavik, a coastal town with a population of 3,800 about 50 kilometers (30 miles) southwest of Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik, no flight disruptions were reported at nearby Keflavik, Iceland’s main airport.

Grindavik was evacuated on Saturday as a precaution. Eruptions in December and January destroyed several buildings. An eruption in February engulfed a pipeline, cutting off heat and hot water to thousands of people.

Iceland, which sits above a volcanic hotspot in the North Atlantic, often experiences eruptions and is highly experienced at dealing with them. The most disruptive in recent times was the 2010 eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano, which sent ash clouds into the atmosphere, leading to widespread airspace closures over Europe.