Huge volcano erupts again in Iceland ‘without warning’

A volcano in Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula has suddenly erupted without warning, sending huge fountains of lava blasting hundreds of feet into the air.

The volcanic blast is the latest in a series of eruptions which have been rocking the peninsula since December.

An eruption last occurred near Sýlingarfell on February 8, although volcanic activity appeared to have dropped off sharply since then and the tourist board had advised visitors it was once again safe to visit the area.

Iceland’s Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management announced it had sent a helicopter to narrow down the exact location of the new fissure.

The latest eruption appears to be in the same location as the first and third, according to experts.

It is the seventh time the volcano has erupted in three years.

‘Warning: An eruption began in Reykjanes,’ the Icelandic Meteorological Office said on its website, while Reykjavik’s nearby Keflavik Airport’s website showed it remained open both for departures and arrivals.

Local media reports that residents of the nearby fishing town of Grindavik had been evacuated from the area, having received text messages telling them to leave just minutes earlier.

The roughly 4,000 residents of Grindavik had only been cleared to return to their homes on February 19 after having been evacuated on November 11.

Volcanic outbreaks in the Reykjanes peninsula are the result of so-called fissure eruptions, which do not usually cause large explosions or significant dispersal of ash into the stratosphere.

However, scientists fear they could continue for decades, and Icelandic authorities have started building dykes to divert burning lava flows away from homes and critical infrastructure.

MORE : Iceland’s Blue Lagoon evacuated because volcano is about to erupt

MORE : There are 14 supervolcanoes – that we know of. What will happen if one erupts?

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.