Iceland volcano: eruption begins on Reykjanes peninsula after weeks of activity
by Miranda Bryant in Stockholm, Helen Livingstone and from World news | The Guardian on (#6H83W)
Fearing a significant event, authorities had evacuated the nearly 4,000 inhabitants of the fishing town of Grindavik
A volcano on the Reykjanes peninsula in south-west Iceland has erupted after weeks of intense earthquake activity, spewing glowing orange jets of lava surrounded by billowing clouds of red smoke.
Warning: eruption has started north of Grindavik by Hagafell," the meteorological office said on its website on Monday. The eruption started a few kilometres from Grindavik, a fishing town located about 25 miles (40km) south-west of Iceland's capital, Reykjavik. The town with a population of 4,000 was evacuated in November after the area was hit by a seismic swarm" of more than 1,000 small earthquakes in 24 hours.
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