The new fissure eruption at Mt. Fagradalsfjall at the Reykjanes peninsula. Photo by our very own Ragnar Tf.
Around 13.15 on August 3 rd, a fissure eruption started not far from the volcanic craters (2021) in Geldingadalir/Fagradalsfjall on the Reykjanes Peninsula – close to the town of Grindavík. A 300-m-long array of low lava fountains (no ash) characterized the initial hours with a rather high discharge of very fluid basalt lava within a valley system, adjacent to a part of the lava flow from 2021. The fissure may extend farther to the northeast or (what seems to be happening) the activity slowly concentrates at the middle section of the fissure. The distance to the crater row from the main road (South Coast Road) is about 7-8 km. The eruption has no effect on air traffic at the international airport.
The map shows the position of the volcanic fissure and the lava flow from 2021 (Source the Icelandic met office: vedur.is)
