A spokesman for Iceland’s civil protection agency said three tourists were injured in Iceland on Wednesday night as they hiked through rough terrain to a volcanic eruption that was wowing onlookers at the scene. Its red-hot lava spout erupts, a spokesman for Iceland’s civil protection agency said.
Spokesman Hjordis Gudmundsdottir said the injuries, including broken ankles, were not serious, but they highlighted the risks tourists face if they try to climb the lava flows from the volcano. Fagradalsfjall in southwestern Iceland, said in an interview on Thursday.
“We tell people that, although we know it is spectacular and there is nothing like it, we have to be careful and we have to prepare before we go,” Ms. Gudmundsdottir said.
It takes about five hours to walk to and from the area, she said, and since volcano erupted last year, which may involve traversing lava that is still fragile and hot below the surface. Officials have also warned of sudden gas pollution near the eruption site.
“We are trying to tell people that it is not just a walk in the park,” Ms. Gudmundsdottir said. “People have to be careful and wear nice clothes and good shoes. We are trying to say that to both the people of Iceland and our foreign friends.”
Gudmundsdottir said the tourist with a broken ankle was taken by helicopter to the hospital. The other two were helped from the volcano in vehicles, she said.
Ms Gudmundsdottir said she expected more tourists in the coming days, especially after dark, when fiery lava was created in Iceland’s night sky.
“We don’t know how many people went there, but we know it’s a lot, and we know in the days to come, it’s going to be more,” she said. “We know we can’t say, ‘Stay away.’ We do not lock this place”.
Lava began to flow on Wednesday from a crack in the ground around Fagradalsfjall, near the town of Grindavik on the Reykjanes peninsula, the Icelandic government said in a statement. statement. The statement said the eruption followed intense seismic activity over the past few days.
The government said the eruption was considered “relatively small” and the risk to populated areas and critical infrastructure was low. The statement said rift eruptions do not usually result in large explosions or significant columns of ash into the stratosphere.
But the government says it is still advising people not to visit the site. The eruption site “is a hazardous area and conditions can change rapidly,” the Civil Protection and Emergencies Administration said in a statement. statement on Thursday.
It warned that toxic gases could build up as winds eased, new lava fountains could open without much warning, and built up lava could flow rapidly over the ground.
The rift is about 9 kilometers from a major transport hub, Keflavik Airport, and about 16 kilometers from the Reykjavik metropolitan area, the government said.
Katrin Jakobsdottir, Iceland’s prime minister, said: “We have been expecting an eruption somewhere in this area since the series of earthquakes began last weekend. “Of course we will continue to monitor the situation closely and now we also benefit from the experience gained from last year’s eruption.”
Having a long history of volcanic activity in Iceland, the country has more than 30 active volcanoes. The country is located between two tectonic plates, divided by an undersea mountain range with molten molten rock known as magma. The problem occurs when magma pushes through the plates.
Keflavik Airport said on its website on Thursday that there had been no disruption to incoming or outgoing flights.
Icelandair also tried to reassure passengers that their flights would not be disrupted as it promoted the volcanic eruption on Facebook, writing on Wednesday that “Icelandic summers get hotter!” It includes a link to a direct of the eruption site.
