Environment
Iceland Volcano Violently Erupts After Thousands Of Earthquakes
While a powerful 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Ishinomaki, Japan, a city located just 65 miles from Fukushima, on Saturday, there was a more notable volcanic eruption in southwestern Iceland near the capital Reykjavik on Friday night.
In recent weeks, we published two notes (see: here & here) informing readers about the more than 34,000 quakes that have been recorded on the Reykjanes Peninsula in recent weeks. On Mar. 4, we wrote: such “quake activity has previously preceded volcanic eruptions.” By Mar. 14, the quakes worsened as the country was put on “high alert” for the next volcanic eruption.
About five days from our latest note and tens of thousands of quakes later, the first volcanic eruption in the Reykjavik Peninsula in 800 years was recorded on Friday night. Here’s a video of the eruption:
The Icelandic Meteorological Office said the eruption began in Fagradalsfjall around 20:45 GM, about 25 miles from the capital Reykjavik.
“Volcanic eruption has begun in Fagradalsfjall,” the meteorological office (IMO) tweeted Friday night, referring to a mountain located south-west of the capital.
More video shows streams of red lava pouring out of a fissure vent.
“The fissure is estimated to be about 200 meters (219 yards) long,” the IMO said.
Residents in Reykjavik had clear visibility of the eruption.
More photos from Reykjavik with the eruption in the background.
So far, Fagradalsfjall is not expected to cause havoc in air travel, as did ash from the Eyjafjallajökull eruption in 2010.
Republished from ZH with permission.
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