In southwest Iceland, Fagradalsfjall volcano erupted on Friday evening. The country’s meteorological service announced this. Air traffic to and from Keflavík, Iceland’s largest airport, has been halted for the time being.
The volcano is located in the Reykjanes Peninsula, about 40 kilometers southwest of the capital, Reykjavik. There is no habitation near the volcano, so there does not appear to be any danger to the environment. Photos show that there is a red sky over the volcano, which can be seen from miles away.
The first report came to the meteorological agency at 9:40 pm GMT (10:40 pm in Belgium). The eruption was confirmed by webcams and satellite imagery, the Icelandic Weather Service said on its website. Only minor seismic shocks were recorded.
The red air traffic icon has been assigned, which means aircraft cannot currently take off or land at Keflavík International Airport.
The Icelandic government calls on people to stay calm and make sure not to go to the volcano. A team of scientists will map the size of the eruption by helicopter.
Iceland has a total of 32 volcanoes that are considered active. On average, an eruption occurs once every five years. In 2010, the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull volcano crippled part of international air traffic for a while. Then more than 100,000 flights were canceled.
