A volcano near the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik has erupted, causing a red-hot spectacle of lava bubbling like a fountain along with vast plumes of smoke. You can watch the drama unfold thanks to various video streams broadcasting live from the area.
Following a flurry of seismic activity, the Fagradalsfjall volcano near the town of Grindavík on the Reykjanes peninsula opened up on August 3, releasing an outpour of bubbling lava and gas, the Icelandic Met Office reports.
Icelandic media platform mbl.is is live streaming the location, offering up a number of views of the eruption that’s still bubbling away strongly.
The area is located around 15 kilometers (9 miles) from Keflavik International Airport and about 25 kilometers (15 miles) from the Reykjavík metropolitan area. However, the risk to the public is said to be low since the surrounding area is very sparsely populated.
People are strongly advised to steer clear of the eruption and avoid any temptation to visit the scene. There have been reports that three tourists have already been injured as a result of the volcanic activity. Red hot lava and flying rocky debris isn’t the only danger, but there's also the threat of sudden outbursts of potentially noxious gases.
“We‘ve been expecting an eruption somewhere in this area since the series of earthquakes started last weekend. What we know so far is that the eruption does not pose any risk to populated areas or critical infrastructure. We will of course continue to monitor the situation closely and now we also benefit from the experience gained from last year’s eruption," Katrín Jakobsdóttir, Prime Minister of Iceland, said in a statement.
So, as tempting as it may be to see the sight with your own eyes, your best bet is to watch the volcanic activity from the safety of your own sofa via one of the many live streams available.
