Iceland On Edge As Fourth Volcanic Eruption In 3 Months, This One Massive And Close To The Capital

A volcano in Iceland erupted on Saturday for the fourth time since December, the country's meteorological office said, spewing smoke and bright orange lava into the air in sharp contrast against the dark night sky. In a video shot from a Coast Guard helicopter and shown on public broadcaster RUV, fountains of molten rock soared from a long fissure in the ground, and lava spread rapidly to each side. The eruption began at 2023 GMT and the fissure was estimated to be about 2.9 kilometers long, roughly the same size as the last eruption in February, the Icelandic Meteorological Office said in a statement. Authorities had warned for weeks that an eruption was imminent on the Reykjanes peninsula just south of Iceland's capital Reykjavik.