A volcano in Iceland continues to smoulder nearly a month after hundreds of earthquakes rocked the area and sent fire and lava shooting high into the air.
The earthquakes led to what’s known as a fissure eruption, essentially a crack that opened up near the Bardarbunga volcano.
The Bardarbunga itself has not erupted. However, spectacular images from space show flames and smoke leaping skyward, and rivers of hot lava flowing along the ground.
Volcano watchers who can’t make it to Iceland can follow the action on a webcam.
The eruption briefly led Icelandic authorities to raise the country’s aviation warning code to red over concerns that significant ash would reduce visibility and make flights over Icelandic airspace impossible. That’s what happened in 2010, when the Eyjafjallajoekull volcano erupted. European airspace was closed for days and thousands of flights were cancelled over fears volcanic ash would clog jet engines.
Luckily, that hasn’t been the case with the fissure near Bardarbunga.
The eruption is not considered a threat to residents of Iceland. But it has led to some beautiful images, including these:
