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Lava from a new volcanic fissure on an Icelandic peninsula, the fourth eruption in the area since December, is steadily advancing but the intensity of the eruption is decreasing, authorities said, AFP reported.
Icelandic police declared a state of emergency shortly after the eruption at 8:23 p.m. local time on Saturday night.
The Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) said response officials were monitoring the advance of the lava "which is slow and steady" since this morning.
The lava is located about 200 meters from the water pipe coming from the nearby Swarzengi power plant.
"However, during the night, the intensity of the eruption decreased and there are now three active vents on the eruptive fissure," the IMO statement said, adding that "seismic activity also significantly decreased during the night."
The famous Icelandic geothermal resort "Blue Lagoon" was evacuated yesterday, as was the fishing town of Grindavik.
About 4,000 Grindavik residents were only allowed to return to their homes on February 19 after being evacuated on November 11, but only about a hundred of them chose to do so.
Hundreds of tremors damaged buildings and opened huge cracks in roads. Iceland is home to 33 active volcanic systems, the largest number in Europe. /BGNES
