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A Volcano Is Erupting in Iceland, Officials Warn It's 'Not a Tourist Attraction': Video Incredible footage shows the moment the eruption occurred.

By Erin Davis

Photo by ICELAND POLICE DEPARTMENT Handout/Anadolu | Getty Images)
A view of lava after volcano eruption located close to Sundhnukagigar, about 4 kilometers northeast of Grindavik town of Reykjanes peninsula, Iceland on December 19, 2023. The eruption began following an earthquake that started around an hour earlier.

A volcano erupted in Iceland Monday night around 10:17 p.m., about two miles from the fishing village of Grindavík. Cameras captured the moment the lava broke through the ground.

Police have declared a state of emergency as lava flowed through the Reykjanes Peninsula, per NBC. Tourist spots have been closed.

More than 3,400 people in Grindavík were evacuated last month after several earthquakes led to roads cracking and emitting plumes of steam.

The lava flow has decreased as of Tuesday morning, but the event is ongoing, per authorities.

"It can be over in a week, or it could take quite a bit longer," scientist Magnus Tumi Gudmundsson told Euronews.

Iceland's main international airport, Reykjavík–Keflavík, remains open.

"This is not a tourist attraction and you must watch it from a great distance," Vidir Reynisson, head of Iceland's Civil Protection and Emergency Management, told national broadcaster RUV.

Erin Davis

Entrepreneur Staff

Freelance Writer

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