Volcano erupts in southwest Iceland after weeks of earthquakes
- December 20, 2023
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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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.
Source: Down To Earth