Eyewitnesses describe raw beauty of volcano eruption in Iceland

A volcano in southwestern Iceland erupted on Thursday evening (22 August) for the sixth time since December, spewing red lava through a new fissure on the Reykjanes Peninsula.

The eruption began shortly after 9pm following a series of strong earthquakes and within the hour a 4km fissure cut through the Sundhnúkur crater.

Iceland authorities said the eruption’s effects remain localised with road closures but do not threaten the population.

As news of the eruption spread, hundreds of curious onlookers drove to nearby vantage points for a view of the stunning natural phenomenon that has become a key tourism attraction.

“We just thought that it was the northern lights,” said Mahnoor Ali visiting from Maryland in the US.

“It’s like the coolest thing I’ve seen in my whole life, honestly.”