The Icelandic authorities have declared a state of emergency due to the volcano eruption near the city of Grindavik (Reykjanes Peninsula), on the southwest coast of the island. The eruption, which began at 10:17 p.m. local time, was preceded by a series of earthquakes in the Sundhnjúka crater, so the entire area was evacuated, according to the Icelandic newspaper ‘Fréttabladid’.

The estimated length of the fissure is about 3.5 kilometersconsiderably higher than that of previous eruptions, and the speed of the lava flow is between 100 and 200 cubic meters per second, which is also a notable increase compared to other eruptions that have occurred on the peninsula in recent years.

“An eruption has started near the evacuated town of Grindavik. Our priorities remain protecting lives and infrastructure. Civil Defense has closed the affected area. Now We look forward to seeing what the forces of nature have in store for us.. We are prepared and remain vigilant,” published the president of the country, Gudni Johannessonon his social network account X, formerly Twitter.

For his part, the Icelandic Foreign Minister, Bjarni Benediktsson, has assured that no flights have been interrupted to or from Iceland, and international air traffic remains open.

According to data from the Icelandic Meteorological Office, seismic activity is moving south, so the eruption could extend in the direction of Grindavik.