A volcanic eruption has begun in the southwest of Iceland after several weeks of relative calm following seismic activity in the area, threatening an evacuated fishing town, a power plant and the country’s main tourist attraction.
Lava is spewing out of the ground close to Grindavik, a town of about 3,700 inhabitants that had been emptied in early November following intense seismic activity. It sits on the Reykjanes Peninsula, about 40 kilometers southwest of the capital.
The eruption began at 10:17 p.m. local time on Monday, the Met Office said.