Volcano erupts in southwest Iceland after weeks of earthquakes

Reykjavik: A volcano in Iceland was erupting on Tuesday, with geysers of molten lava shooting into the pitch-black night sky after weeks of seismic activity had the region southwest of the capital on high alert.

The eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula, just north of the fishing town Grindavik, began Monday at around 10:17 pm (22:17 GMT) after an earthquake swarm, the Icelandic Meteorological Office said, referring to a series of small shakes.

Live-streamed footage of the eruption showed glowing orange jets of lava spewing from a gash in the ground, surrounded by billowing clouds of red smoke.

For weeks, the Nordic country had been anticipating an eruption on the peninsula southwest of the capital after intense earthquake activity, which prompted authorities to evacuate thousands of people and close the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa famed for its turquoise waters.

The meteorological office estimated that the volcano had opened a fissure about 2.8 kilometres (1.7 miles) long, or three times greater than the most recent eruption over the summer. | Magma flow on a hill near Grindavik on Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula.

People watch as the night sky is illuminated caused by the eruption of a volcano on the Reykjanes peninsula of south-west Iceland seen from the capital city of Reykjavik

Flowing lava is seen at a fissure on the Reykjanes peninsula

Since October, thousands of earthquakes have been detected on the Reykjanes peninsula, a possible precursor to an impending volcanic eruption.

Smoke rises as a volcano erupts along Route 41 in the Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland.

Volcanologists say this could be the start of a new era of activity in the region.