Volcano erupts in Iceland sixth time in eight month

New Delhi: A volcano in southwestern Iceland has erupted for the sixth time since December in the Reykjanes Peninsula. According to the country’s meteorological office the eruption started at 9:26pm (21:26 GMT) on Thursday spewing out red lava of a new fissure.

The total length of the fissure was about 3.9km (2.4 miles) and had extended by 1.5km (0.93 miles) in about 40 minutes, said the met office in a statement.

Iceland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs said the eruption did not “present a threat to life” and that the nearby area had been evacuated. “The impact is limited to a localized area near the eruption site,” it posted on social media platform X.

Scientific studies had predicted the recent volcanic eruption in Iceland due to accumulating magma underground. Volcanic eruptions near Grindavík, a town with 3,800 people about 30 miles southwest of Reykjavik, have damaged buildings and forced many people to move for safety.

The eruptions show the challenge the country of nearly 400,000 people faces. Scientists say the geological system could be active for decades or even centuries. There have been nine eruptions on the peninsula since 2021 after 800 years of dormancy.

Iceland is home to 33 active volcano systems, the highest number in Europe. It straddles the Mid-Atlantic ridge, a crack in the ocean floor between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates.