Iceland's Fagradalsfjall erupts again

Following days of seismic activity, Iceland’s Fagradalsfjall volcano erupted on Wednesday.

Much like the scene last year, thousands of minor earthquakes preceded the eruption with a final 4.6 magnitude quake resulting in a fissure eruption.

This fissure stretches up to 200 metres long say the Icelandic Met Office, releasing magma which is flowing into a field of lava created during last year’s eruptions.

The volcano was active for six months last year, creating a new record for longest active eruption.

Wednesday’s eruption marks the first release of lava since last September and has already attracted a number of visitors. The site became a tourist hotspot last year with the situation largely safe.

Fissure eruptions rarely produce the typical explosive dispersals of lava and ash that we generally think of from volcanic eruptions.

Fagradalsfjall is located on the Reykjanes peninsula, around 25 miles south of Iceland’s capital city Reykjavik and 10 miles away from Reykjanesbær where flights from Keflavik Airport are continuing as planned.

Despite its relatively small land area, Iceland sees hundreds of earthquakes each week and averages a volcanic eruption every four years.

This is due to the country’s location, sat upon the Atlantic ridge. This is the point where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates diverge with both slowly moving in opposite directions.

Volcanic activity can be hard to predict, Fagradalsfjall could fall dormant again in days or could continue for months.