Lava spewed from a new volcanic fissure on Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula on Saturday, marking the fourth eruption in the area since December, authorities confirmed.
The evacuation of the fishing town of Grindavik had commenced, with residents receiving urgent text messages instructing them to leave immediately, local media reported.
According to the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO), the eruption occurred at 8:23 pm local time (2023 GMT) on Saturday, creating a nearly 3km-long fissure between two mountains.
Lava flow is primarily directed south and southeast at a rate of approximately 1km per hour overnight, with the potential to reach the ocean, the IMO stated.
Iceland, boasting 33 active volcano systems, holds the highest number in Europe. Positioned atop the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a rift in the ocean floor separating the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates, the country experiences frequent seismic activity.
Prior to March 2021, the Reykjanes Peninsula had not witnessed an eruption in eight centuries. Subsequent eruptions occurred in August 2022, and in July and December 2023, leading volcanologists to suggest the onset of a new era of seismic activity in the region.