In southwest Iceland, a volcano erupted near the village of Grindavik, which was evacuated weeks ago due to the imminent danger. The magma is reported to be rising from a crack in the Earth’s crust about 3.5 kilometers long Icelandic Weather Institute.

The rift is growing rapidly and the lava flow is estimated at 100 to 200 cubic meters per second, Icelandic media reported. This is several times more than previous eruptions in the area.

Huge lava fountains formed, and the sky turned orange and red. The authorities urged Icelanders to stay at home and not watch the volcano eruption. The meteorological agency says the lava appears to be moving southwest towards the fishing village of Grindavik.

Experts had been anticipating an eruption for some time. In November, all of Grindavik’s approximately 4,000 residents were forced to leave their homes. A nearby spa had already been evacuated a few days earlier. Seismologists saw the magma tunnel slowly making its way to the surface, but they were unable to predict when the eruption would occur.

The eruption occurred on the Reykjanes Peninsula, a few kilometers from Grindavik. The eruption area is located about 50 kilometers southwest of the capital, Reykjavik. Keflavik Airport, the largest airport in Iceland, is also located on the peninsula.