Volcano eruption near Grindavík: Lava reaches town, passengers capture fiery spectacle from plane
The volcano spewed fountains of lava from two of its fissures, flowing ominously towards Grindavík. The lava has already reached the town, causing fires in three houses. Fortunately, the town had been evacuated the day before the eruption, so no lives were in danger.
5:28 AM EST, January 15, 2024
Volcanic Eruption Filmed by an Airplane Passenger
A passenger aboard a plane was able to capture the eruption on video while departing from Kevlavik airport, which is roughly 12 miles from Grindavík. The footage reveals a breathtaking night view of the city, made surreal by the sight of lava bursting from the volcano.
-We chose Iceland for our anniversary and my birthday celebration, the fact that we ended up witnessing a volcanic eruption as we were boarding the plane and taking off was something we didn't foresee - wrote Ross McClymont, the author of the video, on X portal.
Internet users' reactions ranged from "Wow!" and "You can only see such a thing once in a lifetime" to "This video must be worth a fortune", and one cheeky comment stating, "I hope you didn't fly with Ryanair, as you would probably have had to pay extra for such an amenity."
Lava Flow Penetrates the Town, Damaging Houses
In recent weeks, Icelandic authorities strived to erect barriers made of earth and rocks in a bid to prevent the lava from reaching the city. Nevertheless, the lava overcame these obstacles on Sunday, affecting houses in its path.
"Although no lives are endangered, the infrastructure may be at risk", reported President of Iceland, Gudni Johannesson on social media. He assured that air traffic was not disrupted by the volcanic activity.
This recent eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula follows a previous eruption on December 18. This earlier eruption was predicted by a series of seismic tremors that endured for several weeks, resulting in a fissure several kilometers long that manifested spurts of lava.
