Tourists flock to Iceland for its dramatic scenery, but this particular piece of scenery just got too dramatic for comfort. The Fadragals Mountain volcano in southwest Iceland just erupted after being dormant for 6,000 years. After weeks of earthquakes, the volcano erupted on Friday shaking the foundations of the Reykjanes Peninsula. Drone footage of the eruption was captured by Bjorn Steinbekk and shared on Instagram, and it looks like something out of Jurassic Park.
Photo: offtoiceland/Instagram
Drone Video Shows Icelandic Volcano as It Starts to Erupt
The glow from the lava could be seen for miles, and lava still poses a hazard to local residents, though that hazard is rather small. People were urged by the Icelandic police to stay indoors this weekend and keep their windows closed to prevent gas pollution from entering their homes. Despite the volcano’s proximity to Keflavik International Airport, and concerns that air travel might be seriously affected, ash fallout has been minimal.
While eruptive fissures — cracks in the earth’s surface — have formed throughout the peninsula, volcanic activity decreased over the weekend, and there are no major safety concerns.
Though the eruption is considered to be a relatively small one, with a fissure just 1,640-2,300 feet long, it’s still the perfect subject for epic videography and photography like Steinbekk’s. 