Volcano erupts in southwest Iceland after weeks of earthquakes

Subject: Geography

Section: Geomorphology

Context:

A volcano erupted close to an Iceland power plant after weeks of intense seismic activity southwest of Reykjavik. The eruption was only 3-km from the evacuated fishing port of Grindavik on the Reykjanes peninsula.

Geography of Iceland:

Iceland, situated just south of the Arctic Circle in the North Atlantic Ocean, is profoundly shaped by its geography and location on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge—a boundary between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. While mostly submerged, this ridge emerges above the ocean surface in the form of Iceland itself.
Iceland’s geological features include geysers, glaciers, mountains, volcanoes, and vast lava fields. It hosts 33 active volcanoes, the highest count in Europe.
Human settlement in Iceland dates back to 874 when Norsemen, primarily from Scandinavia, established Reykjavik, the capital.
The Reykjanes Peninsula, had not seen any volcanic activity for the past 800 years, has experienced four eruptions in less than three years, indicating a potential new phase of volcanic activity.
Eyjafjallajokull Eruption (2010): Eyjafjallajokull is a volcano on Iceland’s south coast. Its two eruptions in 2010 led to an ash cloud spreading from western Siberia to North America’s eastern seaboard.