On March 19th, 2021, Iceland’s most active volcano erupted sending ash and debris high into the sky and triggering hundreds of small earthquakes across the country. The eruption of the Fagradalsfjall volcano on the Reykjanes peninsula started at 8:45 p.m. local time and the plume of smoke and ash rose more than 10,000 feet into the air. It was preceded by weeks of seismic activity, indicating a possibility of an eruption. The Icelandic Meteorological Office monitored the area closely and issued warnings to people near the location to stay away.
No one was injured during the eruption and the ash and debris have been falling in an unpopulated area. The volcano is thought to have been dormant for centuries and is considered to be the first eruption in that area in three to four hundred years. Although the eruption itself was limited in scale, experts say that it could last for weeks or even months. The Icelandic government has already restricted access to the area until it is considered safe.
