A volcano erupts in Iceland and spews magma, in a spectacular show of Earth’s power
LA TimesUniversity of Iceland scientists take measurements Tuesday on the ridge of an eruptive fissure on the Reykjanes Peninsula. The town near Iceland’s main airport was evacuated in November after strong seismic activity damaged homes and raised fears of an imminent eruption. By early Tuesday afternoon, the Icelandic Meteorological Office reported that the size of the volcanic eruption at Sundhnuksgígar “continues to diminish.” It said the lava flow was estimated to be a quarter of what it was at the time of the eruption. The nearby Blue Lagoon geothermal spa — one of Iceland’s biggest tourist attractions — closed temporarily last month as a swarm of earthquakes put the island nation on alert for a possible volcanic eruption. “It’s amazing to see, but there’s kind of a bittersweet feeling at the moment.” Magnus Tumi Gudmundsson, a scientist who flew over the site Tuesday morning on a coast guard research flight, told RUV the eruption was expected to continue decreasing in intensity, but scientists have no idea how long it could last.