A volcano erupted on Wednesday in Iceland, spewing red lava and plumes of smoke through a fissure in an uninhabited valley after several days of intense seismic activity.
New eruption of a volcanic fissure near the Icelandic capital
Iceland
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AFP
The eruption occurred about 40 kilometres from Reykjavik, near the site of the Fagradalsfjall volcano.
The Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO), which monitors seismic activity, estimated the size of the fissure at about 300 metres.
Wednesday's eruption came after a period of intense seismic activity, with about 10,000 earthquakes detected since Saturday, including two of at least 5.0 magnitude.
Gases from a volcanic eruption, particularly sulphur dioxide, can be elevated in the immediate vicinity and can be a health hazard or even fatal.