Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula sees 7th volcanic eruption this year

By Nur Asena Erturk

An eruption has started on Iceland’s southwestern Reykjanes Peninsula, according to media reports.

The eruption began late Wednesday in the Sundhnuks crater, Icelandic broadcaster RUV reported.

This was the seventh eruption in the region this year, and the 10th since March 2021 when the new volcanic phase started, it noted.

Flights were not affected, Keflavik Airport said, and the residential and touristic areas were successfully evacuated, according to local authorities, as reported by RUV.

Iceland, located atop the Mid-Atlantic Ridge where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates meet, is home to 33 active volcano systems -- the highest number in Europe. The current wave of eruptions on the Reykjanes Peninsula underscores the persistent geological volatility in this region, posing challenges for the island nation of nearly 400,000 people.