A daring tourist helicopter flight brought attention to a recent development at Iceland’s volcanic spectacle. Following its initial eruption last month, a new fissure has burst forth, prompting the evacuation of hikers from the site.
Stretching about 500 meters (1,640 feet) long, the fresh crack in the volcano’s surface was discovered by a sightseeing helicopter on a Monday. Strikingly, this crevice emerged merely half a mile away from the original eruption site in the Geldinga Valley, where the volcanic activity had commenced on March 20th.
Since the eruption’s onset, visitors from nearby Reykjavik have flocked to the vicinity, with some even turning the scorching magma into impromptu grills. However, a twist in events triggered the Icelandic Department of Emergency Management to swiftly enforce an evacuation order, despite no immediate peril to life due to the fissure’s distance from popular hiking trails.
Live visuals from the scene showcased intermittent lava spouts emanating from the newfound crevice. Notably, geophysicist Magnus Gudmundsson noted a possible northward shift in the volcanic activity’s epicenter, signaling a potential second stage of eruption.
Amidst ongoing coronavirus constraints, over 30,000 tourists defied restrictions to explore the volcanic marvel on the Reykjanes Peninsula, situated roughly 19 miles southwest of the capital city. Although Iceland experiences volcanic eruptions about once every four to five years due to its location atop a volcanic hotspot, the current event marks the region’s first eruption in nearly 800 years.
Remembered for the 2010 Eyjafjallajokull eruption that disrupted global air travel, Iceland’s geological activity continues to captivate the world’s attention, showcasing the raw power and unpredictability of nature.
