In pictures: Volcano spews lava after erupting in Iceland

  • By the Visual Journalism Team
  • Europe

After weeks of intense earthquake activity, a volcano has erupted on the Reykjanes peninsula of south-west Iceland.

Local residents watch smoke rise in the orange night sky after the volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula - 19 December 2023 A view of lava after the eruption about 4km northeast of Grindavik in Iceland - 19 December 2023

About 4,000 people were earlier evacuated from the fishing town of Grindavik and the nearby Blue Lagoon geothermal spa was closed.

A view of lava spewing into the air from a helicopter flying over the scene in Iceland - 19 December 2023 A view of the lava flow from a helicopter flying over the area near the town of Grindavik, Iceland - 19 December 2023

The eruption turned the sky over south-west Iceland orange and the smoke from it could be seen from Reykjavik, which is about 42km north-east of the volcano.

People silhouetted against the glow from the volcano's eruption, in this view from Keflavik, Iceland - 18 December 2023 A view of the orange sky from the town of Keflavik, Iceland - 18 December 2023
An onlooker stands by the shoreline in Reykjavik to watch the volcanic eruption - 19 December 2023

The length of the crack in the volcano is about 3.5km, shown in the map below, and the lava was flowing at a rate of around 100 to 200 cubic metres per second after the initial eruption, according to the Icelandic Met Office.

A graphic showing an image of the crack in the volcano and a map showing the location of the area in south-west Iceland. A car drives towards the eruption as lava spews into the air near Grindavik, Iceland - 18 December 2023 A volcano spews lava and smoke as it erupts in Grindavik, Iceland - 18 December 2023 A helicopter from the Icelandic Coast Guard flying over the volcanic eruption north of Grindavik, Iceland - 18 December 2023

Iceland has been on high alert for a potential volcano eruption for several weeks and local residents were ordered to leave as a precaution. There were no reports of injuries.

A local resident watched smoke billow as the lava colours the night sky orange - 18 December 2023 People watch the volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula in south-west Iceland - 19 December 2023 Molten lava iomming out from a fissure on the Reykjanes peninsula - 19 December 2023

Scientists are continuing to monitor activity at the site and say that while the eruption is weakening, new vents could open at short notice.

A team of scientists works on the ridge of a volcanic fissure near the town of Grindavik - 19 December 2023 A drone picture shows lava spewing from the site of the volcanic eruption north of Grindavik - 19 December 2023 An image of the site captured by drone - 19 December 2023

Contributors

Production by Mike Hills, picture research by Emma Lynch and Matthew Tucker, graphics by Kate Gaynor, development by Becky Rush.

Images

Civil Protection of Iceland/Reuters, Kristin Elisabet Gunnarsdottir/AFP, Iceland Police Department/Getty Images, Icelandic Coast Guard/Reuters, @zwyzszejperspektywy/Reuters, Anton Brink/EPA, Kristvin Guðmundsson, Icelandic Coast Guard/Reuters, Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images, Sigurdur Davidsson/Reuters, Snorri Thor/NurPhoto.

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