Eruptions in Iceland

Southern Iceland was hit with its fourth volcanic eruption in the past three months over the weekend, prompting the evacuation of thousands from a nearby town and tourist attraction. As of this writing, no deaths have been confirmed; however, one local worker remains unaccounted for after falling into a fissure opened by the seismic activity. 

The eruption comes five months after officials warned of a 9-mile-long tunnel of magma underneath the region (see previous write-up), forcing a series of smaller eruptions and causing the ground level of the area to drop by almost 3 feet. The country's volcanic activity is largely driven by its position along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, placing it between the boundary of the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates.

See livestream footage of the activity here.