Iceland volcano erupts for the seventh time in a year

Vocabulary: 160, Words: 309

1A volcano near Iceland’s capital erupted on Wednesday night, becoming the seventh such event in the area since December.

2The length of the fissure on the volcano, located in Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula in the southwest of the country, is estimated to be approximately 3 kilometers (1.9 miles), according to the Icelandic Met Office.

3The eruption began shortly after 11 p.m local time Wednesday, with a Met Office update three hours later saying the fissure seemed to have stopped expanding.

A new volcanic eruption that started on the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland, Wednesday, Nov.20, 2024.

4Air traffic to and from Iceland was operating normally on Thursday, according to Iceland’s official tourism website, which said the eruption was significantly smaller than the last one, which occurred in the area on August 22, when a 4-kilometer (2.5-mile) fissure opened.

5A geothermal power plant and the two hotels at the world-famous Blue Lagoon were evacuated. 6The Blue Lagoon has been repeatedly forced to close due to volcanic activity over the past year.

GRINDAVIK, ICELAND - JUNE 2: Seen from an aerial view, lava flows from the Sundhnúkur volcano on the Reykjanes peninsula on June 2, 2024 near Grindavik, Iceland. The volcano eruption, located in southwestern Iceland, forced the evacuation of the nearby fishing town as well as guests at the nearby Blue Lagoon geothermal spa. The volcano has erupted five times since December. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

7Related article Scientists identify main source that could be fueling Iceland’s hotbed of volcanic activity

10“The eruption is in the same place as the last one in August this year. 11The town of Grindavík is not threatened by lava flow,” Snorri Valsson, a spokesperson for the Icelandic Tourist Board, told CNN on Thursday.

12“This was expected. 13The few people… 60 people… in town have been evacuated, as well as the Svartsengi Power Plant and the two hotels at the Blue Lagoon – the Blue Lagoon itself was empty at the time, as it started after closing hours.”

14Since January 2020, there have been 10 eruptions on Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula.

15Iceland has a population of nearly 400,000 and is one of the world’s most active volcanic areas. 16It lies on the constantly active geologic border between North America and Europe. 17Last year, Iceland experienced more than 1,000 earthquakes in a 24-hour period.

from CNN