WATCH: Volcano erupts near Iceland’s capital Reykjavik

A volcano in Iceland erupted after heightened seismic activity in the area, 11 months after its last eruption. The eruption is in an uninhabited valley near the Litli-Hrútur mountain, some 30 kilometres (19 miles) southwest of the capital, Reykjavik.

Watch:

Iceland is erupting. People are very excited. pic.twitter.com/NwRI9YkoPc

— Halli (@iamharaldur) July 10, 2023

The area, known broadly as Fagradalsfjall volcano, has erupted twice in the last two years without causing damage or disruptions to flights, despite being near Keflavik Airport, Iceland’s international air traffic hub.

The Icelandic Meteorological Office said, according to The Associated Press, “The eruption is small and there is presently no emission of ash to the atmosphere.” It added that the lava is emerging as “a series of fountains” from a 200-metre long fissure on the slopes of the mountain.

Authorities urged people not to trek to the volcano, saying there may be “dangerously high levels of volcanic gases” accumulating close to the eruption.

A 2021 eruption in the same area produced spectacular lava flows for several months. Hundreds of thousands of people flocked to see the spectacular sight. Iceland averages an eruption every four to five years.

The most disruptive in recent times was the 2010 eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano, which spewed huge clouds of ash into the atmosphere and led to widespread airspace closures over Europe.

More than 100,000 flights were grounded, stranding millions of international travellers and halting air travel for days because of concerns the ash could damage jet engines.

With inputs from agencies