In brief
A volcano near Reykjavik, Iceland, erupted early Wednesday, marking the 12th time in four years that the area has seen volcanic activity. The eruption at the Sundhnukur crater produced clouds of smoke and some lava but posed no immediate threat to people or infrastructure, according to Gisli Olafsson from the Icelandic Red Cross. The event followed a series of earthquakes in the region.
Located between the fishing village of Grindavik and the famous Blue Lagoon spa, the crater triggered precautionary evacuations of both sites. The Icelandic Meteorological Office reported that the fissure from which the lava emerged was about half a mile long and that the flow was moving southeast, away from any populated areas. Wind patterns could carry volcanic gases toward the country's main international airport, though flights remained unaffected as of the morning following the eruption. Interestingly, the Svartsengi volcanic system has seen an uptick in activity, recording 12 eruptions in the last four years, a significant increase from the historical average of every three to four years. Francesca Regalado is a Times reporter covering breaking news.
