Volcano erupts in southwest Iceland after weeks of earthquakes

REYKJAVIK, Iceland (AFP) — A volcano in Iceland was erupting on Tuesday, with geysers of molten lava shooting into the pitch-black night sky after weeks of seismic activity had the region southwest of the capital on high alert.

The eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula, just north of the fishing town Grindavik, began Monday at around 10:17 p.m. (22:17 GMT) after an earthquake swarm, the Icelandic Meteorological Office said, referring to a series of small shakes.

"A Coast Guard helicopter will take off shortly to confirm the exact location and size of the eruption," the meteorological office said, adding it could be seen via nearby webcams.

Live-streamed footage of the eruption showed glowing orange jets of lava spewing from a gash in the ground, surrounded by billowing clouds of red smoke.

"We hope for the best but it is clear this is a considerable eruption," Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir wrote on Facebook.

For weeks, the Nordic country had been anticipating an eruption on the peninsula southwest of the capital after intense earthquake activity, which prompted authorities to evacuate thousands of people and close the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa famed for its turquoise waters.

The meteorological office estimated that the volcano had opened a fissure about 2.8 kilometers (1.7 miles) long, or three times greater than the most recent eruption over the summer.

"We now wait to see what the forces of nature have in store," President Gudni Thorlacius Johannesson wrote on X, formerly Twitter. He added that protecting lives and infrastructure was the priority.

Public utility company Landsnet wrote on Facebook that it was very closely monitoring the eruption.

Despite fears prior to the eruption of the possible havoc it could cause global travel, Reykjavik's international airport remains open. Operator ISAVIA said: "For the time being, no disruptions to arrivals or departures at Keflavik airport."