News > Volcano erupts in Iceland, shoots lava into sky after 40,000 earthquakes in 4 weeks

Volcano erupts in Iceland, shoots lava into sky after 40,000 earthquakes in 4 weeks

A volcano erupted near Iceland's capital Reykjavik on Friday, shooting lava high into the night sky after thousands of small earthquakes in recent weeks. The eruption occurred near Fagradalsfjall, a mountain on the Reykjanes Peninsula, around 30 km (19 miles) southwest of the capital.

Some four hours after the initial eruption at 2045 GMT - the first on the peninsula since the 12th century - lava covered about one square kilometer or nearly 200 football fields.