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Iceland volcano emerges for the tenth time in 3 years

A volcano near Iceland's. capital erupted late on Wednesday for the tenth time in three. years, gushing fountains of lava and smoke, the nation's. meteorological workplace said.

Iceland, with nearly 400,000 inhabitants, lies on the. fault line between the Eurasian and North American tectonic. plates, making it a seismic hotspot with geysers, warm-water. springs and dozens of volcanoes.

As magma accumulated underground, authorities had actually alerted of. imminent volcanic activity on the Reykjanes peninsula, some 30. km (20 miles) south-west of the capital Reykjavik, where the. latest eruption ended just on Sept. 6.

The outbreaks on the Reykjanes peninsula, called fissure. eruptions, have not directly affected the capital city and do. not trigger significant dispersal of ash into the stratosphere,. preventing air traffic interruption.

Lying inactive for 800 years, the geological systems in the. location reactivated in 2021 and have given that erupted at rising. frequency, with the most recent outbreak being the sixth so far in. 2024.

The nearby fishing town of Grindavik, home to almost 4,000. homeowners before an evacuation order in December last year,. remains mostly deserted due to the regular danger from lava. flows.

Icelandic authorities have set up barriers to divert the. streams of molten rock far from the town, along with from. infrastructure such as a close-by power station and heaven. Lagoon, a medical spa facility with hotels and large natural pools.

Researchers have cautioned that Reykjanes is likely to. experience duplicated volcanic break outs for years, perhaps. even centuries.

The eruptions are not anticipated, nevertheless, to cause the level. of disruption seen when the Eyjafjallajokull volcano burst in. 2010, spreading out ash clouds throughout Europe and grounding some. 100,000 flights globally.

(source: Reuters)