Fagradalsfjall volcano erupts near Iceland’s capital — here’s what you need to know
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On Friday night, a volcano erupted near Iceland’s capital Reykjavik, lighting up the night sky. Luckily, there have been no reports of damage or major flight disruptions.
The eruption occurred near Mount Fagradalsfjall, a mountain on the Reykjanes Peninsula, about 20 miles southwest of Reykjavik. Despite being considered small by volcano standards, the red lava spewing out of the ground provided residents with some awe-inspiring views. It also brought some relief for locals, following thousands of small earthquakes in the area in recent weeks.
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The Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) confirmed that the eruption is still ongoing as of Sunday afternoon, but lava fountain activity is low. No volcanic ash has been detected, though a high level of volcanic gases has been measured close to the eruption site.
A shout out to the scientists who set up the live webcam and then stopped for a #volcano selfie.#iceland #icelandvolcano #Fagradalsfjall https://t.co/MRuAPlAfon pic.twitter.com/sciM6DSGuS
— Christopher Becke (@BeckePhysics) March 20, 2021
Related: How pilots deal with volcanic ash encounters
Unlike the Eyjafjallajökull volcano eruption in 2010, which completely shut down European airspace, this eruption didn’t cause disrupt flights too much. Flights in and out of Keflavik International Airport (KEF) were canceled on Friday but have since returned to normal operations. That said, there aren’t too many scheduled flights in and out of Iceland at the moment anyway.
Iceland truly lives up to its name “the land of fire & ice”. After weeks of earthquakes, Iceland yesterday experienced its first volcanic eruption in 6 years. Starting last night at the mountain Fagradalsfjall on the Reykjanes peninsula, the glow of the lava can now be seen. pic.twitter.com/5EL6ilhl0I
— Icelandair (@Icelandair) March 20, 2021
Overall, this eruption shouldn’t have an impact on travel to the island. Iceland recently reopened its borders, welcoming American tourists who have been vaccinated against COVID-19. If you’re planning a trip there, here’s a guide on how to do so using points and miles.
Featured photo by Vilhelm Gunnarsson/Getty Images
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