Why do Iceland's volcanoes keep erupting, and how dangerous are they?

Repeated volcanic eruptions have rocked south-western Iceland since December 2023, and the island's inhabitants are getting used to the sight of lava spewing near populated areas.

- 

For the wider world, the eruptions have rekindled memories of the Eyjafjallajökull explosion of 2010, when vast volcanic ash clouds grounded air traffic across Europe for weeks.

Scientists say the recent bout of heightened volcanic activity in the country known as "the land of fire and ice" may go on for centuries.

IS THIS NORMAL FOR ICELAND?

Yes and no. While the country experiences a volcanic eruption every five years on average—of varying nature, size and scope—the current series of eruptions is something even Icelanders are not used to.

The ground has ripped open 12 times since 2021 in the Reykjanes peninsula. Hardly any of the previous eruptions had taken place in or near inhabited areas. This time around, the fishing community of Grindavík, which was home to almost 3,700 people, has been devastated. The glow in the sky from lava gushing out of the ground is now sometimes visible to residents of the capital, Reykjavík.

HOW DID EVENTS UNFOLD?

The Reykjanes region had seen little volcanic activity for about 800 years, until magma rose to the surface in 2021. It has emerged 12 times since then from relatively small fissures.