The volcanic eruption that occurred in southwest Iceland on Monday is showing signs of weakening, according to the country's meteorological office. Although three vents are currently erupting, down from the initial five, the office warns that new vents could open suddenly. The eruption, on the Reykjanes peninsula, followed weeks of intense earthquakes and tremors, leading to the evacuation of about 4,000 people from the threatened fishing town of Grindavik. While there are no reported injuries, concerns about potential damage to houses persist.
A volcanic eruption has occurred on the Reykjanes peninsula in southwest Iceland following a period of heightened earthquake activity. Approximately 4,000 residents of the fishing town Grindavik were evacuated earlier this month, and the nearby Blue Lagoon geothermal spa was temporarily closed. The eruption commenced north of Grindavik at 22:17 local time, according to the Icelandic Met Office. Although it is not anticipated to cause disruptions on the scale of the 2010 eruption that affected European air travel, the region around Reykjavik has experienced increased seismic activity since late October.