(Iceland = International News) Reporter Hyun-Seung Kim = On the 5th (local time), two new fissures have formed in the Icelandic volcano that started erupting two weeks ago, and lava began to erupt, AFP reported on the 6th.
According to the Icelandic Meteorological Administration (IMO), the new crack that occurred around noon that day was about 200m in length. It is about 1km away from the first eruption of the Pagradalspiadul volcano.
The video aired on Iceland’s national broadcaster RUV shows a small amount of magma smoke that seeps on the ground and new lava flows into another valley called Meraltalir.
Icelandic experts initially thought of the explosion as ending in a short period of time, but now it is likely to last for several weeks or more.
In an interview with AFP, volcanologist Torbaldur Torrossen said, “Lava flows on a steep slope at about 10m per second, and is now in a very slow state.”
After the explosion started on the 19th of last month, visitors flocked to the area, and according to statistics released by the tourism authorities, 36,293 people went to see the lava until the 4th.
Icelandic authorities blocked the eruption zone and evacuated tourists as a warning measure.