Live video from the area showed fountains of bright-orange molten rock spewing from fissures in the ground, in sharp contrast to the still-dark night sky.
“Warning: A volcanic eruption started north of Sylingarfell,” the country’s meteorological office said on its website.
Marco Di Marco/APIntense earthquake activity began around 5:30 a.m. and the outbreak itself started some 30 minutes later, it added.
Thursday’s eruption took place some way from Grindavik and was unlikely to pose a direct threat to the town, Icelandic geophysicist Ari Trausti Gudmundsson told Reuters.
Icelandic authorities in November started building dykes that can help divert burning lava flows away from homes and critical infrastructure.
Persons:
Marco Di Marco, Ari Trausti Gudmundsson, ”, Isavia
Organizations:
CNN, AP, Met Office, Reuters, Keflavik
Locations:
Iceland, Reykjanes, Sylingarfell, Grindavik, Icelandic, U.S ., Kentucky