- The eruption started around 10:20 PM local time on the night of December 18
This is the stunning moment a volcano in Iceland spews rivers of lava as the island is rocked by the massive eruption, which started on Monday evening.
The breathtaking footage shows the bright orange lava breaking through the Earth's surface in fountains of fiery molten rock during the dramatic eruption that has been expected for several weeks.
The scorching liquid ripples across the surface, carving red-hot fissures as the lava flows through venous-looking cracks in the ground.
Plumes of smoke can be seen emanating from the epicenter of the eruption, demonstrating the intense heat emanating from the volcano.
The dramatic scene was filmed by an aerial drone as flowing streams of lava glowed against the darkness of the night sky.
The scorching fluid ripples across the surface, carving red-hot fissures as the lava flows through venous cracks in the ground
Scientists had been anticipating the eruption of a volcano in southwestern Iceland for weeks, so when it happened Monday evening it was no surprise.
The region had been active for more than two years and thousands of small earthquakes have rocked the area in recent weeks.
It started at about 10:20 p.m. local time on the night of December 18 north of Grindavik, a fishing village of 3,400 on the Reykjanes Peninsula.
The city is located about 50 kilometers southwest of the Icelandic capital Reykjavik, in an area commonly known as the Fagradalsfjall volcano.
First there was a series of small earthquakes. Then lava of about 1,200 degrees Celsius (2,192 degrees Fahrenheit) began flowing from a gorge about 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) long.
The Icelandic Meteorological Office estimated that hundreds of cubic meters of lava flowed per second in the first two hours after the eruption, although activity had decreased significantly by the afternoon of December 19.
The breathtaking images show bright orange lava breaking through the Earth's surface in fountains of fiery molten rock
The dramatic scene was filmed by an aerial drone as flowing streams of lava glowed against the darkness of the night sky
Scientists said their monitors showed that a corridor of magma, or semi-molten rock, was spreading towards the city and could soon reach the surface.
The nearby Blue Lagoon geothermal resort, one of Iceland's best-known tourist attractions, was forced to close temporarily as a precaution after a magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck the area last month.
Fagradalsfjall had been dormant for around 6,000 years, but came back to life in March 2021, when hundreds of people flocked to the Reykjanes Peninsula to witness spectacular lava flows that lasted for months. The red glow of the lava was visible from the capital's outskirts.
None of the recent eruptions on the Reykjanes Peninsula caused damage or disruptions to flights, despite the area's proximity to the main Keflavik airport.