See Photos of Iceland’s Latest Spectacular Volcanic Eruption

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Yet another volcanic eruption has rocked Iceland’s southern peninsula. On August 22, fissures opened up, spilling lava and spewing plumes of gas over half a mile (1 kilometer) into the air.

The eruption occurred in the Sundhnúkur area, known for volcanic craters whose 2,500-year dormancy came to an end last year. In November, residents of the nearby town of Grindavik were forced to evacuate as a series of earthquakes and fissures shook the region as part of the leadup to a series of eruptions. The most recent, and largest to date, began in late May and continued for weeks.

Image of lava shooting out of Iceland volcano.
A photo taken during the night of August 22-23, 2024, shows lava and smoke erupting from a volcano near Grindavik on the Icelandic peninsula of Reykjanes. (Photo by Ael Kermarec / AFP via Getty Images)

On August 23, the Iceland Meteorological Office said the intensity of the eruption had decreased “somewhat” since the previous day and was now confined to two fissures. While seismic activity had also decreased, the IMO said deformation of the ground north of Stóra-Skógfell indicated the eruption “has not reached equilibrium.”

So far, no lava has been spotted headed toward Grindavik, and no deaths or injuries have been reported by authorities. In a statement on its website, officials at Iceland’s largest airport, Keflavik Airport, said the volcanic activity is not affecting air travel. (In 2010, an eruption in Iceland produced a massive plume of ash that shut down air travel across much of Europe for seven days, affecting millions of people and leading to major economic losses.)

Photo of crowd watching volcanic eruption in Iceland.
A photo taken during the night of August 22-23, 2024, shows people taking pictures of lava and smoke erupting from a volcano near Grindavik on the Icelandic peninsula of Reykjanes. (Photo by Ael Kermarec / AFP via Getty Images)

Back in February, fresh lava poured onto white snow, producing dramatic contrasts captured in aerial views.

Orange lava travels over white snow in Iceland
Lava flows across snow-covered ground in southwestern Iceland in February 2024. Photo: Marco Di Marco (AP)
Lava blocking the main road into Grindavik.
Lava blocking the main road into Grindavik in February 2024. Credit: Marco Di Marco (AP)



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