With essentially no warning, a new eruption has started just minutes ago on Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula (Picture: RUV)
A volcano in Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula has suddenly erupted without warning, sending huge fountains of lava blasting hundreds of feet into the air.
The volcanic blast is the latest in a series of eruptions which have been rocking the peninsula since December.
An eruption last occurred near Sýlingarfell on February 8, although volcanic activity appeared to have dropped off sharply since then and the tourist board had advised visitors it was once again safe to visit the area.
The latest eruption appears to be in the same location as the first and third, according to experts.
Volcanoes have been erupting in the region since December (Picture: AFP)
It is the seventh time the volcano has erupted in three years (Picture: RUV)
It is the seventh time the volcano has erupted in three years.
‘Warning: An eruption began in Reykjanes,’ the Icelandic Meteorological Office said on its website, while Reykjavik’s nearby Keflavik Airport’s website showed it remained open both for departures and arrivals.
Volcanic outbreaks in the Reykjanes peninsula are the result of so-called fissure eruptions, which do not usually cause large explosions or significant dispersal of ash into the stratosphere.
However, scientists fear they could continue for decades, and Icelandic authorities have started building dykes to divert burning lava flows away from homes and critical infrastructure.
This is a developing news story, more to follow soon… Check back shortly for further updates.
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