Where did the recent volcanic eruption in Iceland take place? Residents evacuated as second incident recorded in less than a month

A volcano erupted in the southwest Icelandic peninsula of Reykjanes, on Sunday, January 14, at about 8 am local time. This came after several earthquakes were recorded near the town in Iceland, as per the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO).

The eruption caused the sky to turn orange and put the nation's civil defense on high alert. Live footage of the eruption went viral on different social media platforms, and molten rock and smoke were seen gushing from fractures in the ground, affecting a large region near the town of Grindavik.

According to Channel NewsAsia, the incident occurred after the majority of Grindavik's 4,000 residents were evacuated on November 11, 2023, as a precaution, due to claims made by scientists that a magma tunnel beneath them was shifting.

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No one was harmed during the volcanic eruption in Iceland

The residents were evacuated safely (Image via Facebook / Snorri Thor Photography / Geology in a Jiffy)

After the volcano erupted on Sunday, the lava flowed to the outskirts of a nearby fishing town, as per Reuters. While this led to some houses catching fire, the town had been evacuated and none of its residents were harmed.

As per The Telegraph, the Icelandic Meteorological Office said:

"According to the first images from the Coast Guard's surveillance flight, a crack has opened on both sides of the defences that have begun to be built north of Grindavík.”

They added:

"From measurements from the Icelandic coast guard helicopter, the (lava's) perimeter is now about 450 meters (yards) from the northernmost houses in the town.”

Furthermore, authorities issued an emergency evacuation order late on Saturday, January 13, requiring residents to leave the island by Monday, January 15, citing the area's massive cracks and increasing chances of earthquakes. However, as the seismic activity increased overnight, authorities accelerated the evacuation order.

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Nearly 4,000 residents were evacuated during the volcanic eruption in December

As per sources like Barron's, the closest fishing town, Grindavik, was 3 km from the crack's southernmost tip when authorities evacuated around 4,000 residents in November. This was due to the concerns about an impending eruption following hundreds of minor tremors that shook the area.

Since the evacuation, residents were only permitted to return for short periods following the first eruption, which took place on December 18. Moreover, on December 22, they were given permission to return to their houses permanently, as per CBS News. However, very few opted to do so.

In an attempt to stop the lava from reaching Grindavik, which is situated 40 km (25 miles) southwest of Reykjavik, the authorities erected barriers made of rock and dirt. However, as per Reuters, it appears that the most recent eruption breached the town's defenses.

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In the last three years, there have been five volcanic eruptions in Iceland. After the one that occurred on December 18, the most recent eruption took place on January 14, in the same location. Hence, this marks the second eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula in less than a month.

The popular Blue Lagoon geothermal spa closed temporarily after the recent eruption. Flights into and out of the nation are anticipated to operate as usual.