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Iceland volcano erupts on Reykjanes peninsula
A volcano has erupted on the Reykjanes peninsula of south-west Iceland after weeks of intense earthquake activity.
About 4,000 people were earlier evacuated from the fishing town of Grindavik and the nearby Blue Lagoon geothermal spa was closed.
The eruption started north of the town at 22:17 local time (22:17 GMT), the Icelandic Met Office said.
The region around the capital Reykjavik has been experiencing an increase in earthquake activity since late October.
Images and videos posted on social media showed lava bursting from the volcano just an hour after an an earthquake swarm, or seismic events, were detected. A coastguard helicopter has been sent to the area to confirm the exact location and size of the eruption.
The Met Office said that the eruption was located about 4km (2.5 miles) north-east of Grindavik and the seismic activity was moving towards the town.
The length of the crack in the volcano is about 3.5km, with the lava flowing at a rate of around 100 to 200 cubic metres per second, it added. It said that this was many times more than in previous eruptions on the Reykjanes peninsula in recent years.
A senior police officer at the Civil Defence told national broadcaster RUV the eruption had happened quickly and appeared to be “quite a large event”.
Vidir Reynisson said the lava appeared to be flowing in all directions from a large crack in the volcano. “The jets of lava are quite high, so it appears to be a powerful eruption at the beginning,” he said.
The eruption can be seen from Reykjavik, which is about 42km north-east of Grindavik. One eyewitness in the city told the BBC that half of the sky in the direction of Grindavik was “lit up in red”. He said smoke could also be billowing into the air, with police warning people to stay away from the area.
Iceland’s Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir said defences recently constructed would have a positive effect. She said her thoughts were with the local community and she was hoping for the best despite the “significant event”.
President Gudni Johannesson said safeguarding lives was the main priority but that every effort would be made to protect structures too.
In April 2010, the Eyjafjallajokull volcanic eruption caused the largest closure of European airspace since World War Two, as a result of an extensive ash cloud.
Losses were estimated at between 1.5bn and 2.5bn euros (£1.3-2.2bn; $1.6-2.7bn).
It has been reported that the former Superintendent of the Boossa Prison S Dhammika has been shot dead by an unidentified gunman in Akmeemana.
The Prime Minister’s Office strongly condemns the fraudulent cryptocurrency scam advertisements currently being promoted on Facebook and Instagram, falsely featuring Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and other prominent Sri Lankan figures. These deceptive ads, operated by foreign entities, aim to mislead the public and exploit the trust associated with well-known personalities.
It has come to our attention that these scam campaigns, originating from fraudulent accounts based in Lithuania, are actively targeting Facebook users in Sri Lanka.
Similar ads have recently featured Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath, Minister of Science and Technology MP Chrishantha Abeysena, and well-known journalists Amantha Perera and Sunanda Deshapriya, as well as other Sri Lankan public figures in previous instances.
Public Advisory
We urge citizens to exercise extreme caution when encountering online advertisements promoting cryptocurrency investments, particularly those falsely claiming endorsements from government officials and public figures. No government official or ministry has endorsed any cryptocurrency investment scheme.
Additionally, despite reports and removal requests, variations of these scams continue to appear on social media platforms, highlighting serious concerns about the inability of Facebook to curb fraudulent advertising effectively. We call upon Meta (Facebook’s parent company) to take immediate and stronger action to prevent the spread of these deceptive campaigns and safeguard Sri Lankan users from financial fraud.
How to Protect Yourself:
• Do not engage with or click on suspicious ads claiming endorsements from public figures.
• Report fraudulent advertisements directly on Facebook and Instagram.
• Verify all financial opportunities through legitimate sources before investing.
The Prime Minister’s Office remains committed to protecting the public from online fraud and will continue working with relevant authorities to address this growing issue. We urge media organizations and digital platforms to act responsibly in curbing the spread of misinformation and scams.
For official government updates, please refer to the Prime Minister’s Office’s official website and social media channels.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
Many people in and around the Italian city of Naples have spent the night on the streets and in their cars after an earthquake shook buildings and brought rubble crashing down.
Italian seismologists said the 4.4 magnitude tremor struck at 01:25 local time on Thursday (00:25 GMT) at a shallow depth of three kilometres (two miles). The US Geological Survey measured it as a 4.2 tremor 10km deep.
Power supply in parts of Naples was disrupted.
In the nearby town of Pozzuoli, close to the quake’s epicentre, one injured person was pulled from the rubble of a partially collapsed house.
Naples sits on the Phlegraean Fields, a volcanic basin that makes the area in southern Italy prone to quakes.
Thursday’s earthquake was felt in several areas of the Campania region, Italian media reported. The tremor was followed by at least two weaker aftershocks.
People have been seen leaving their homes and gathering on the streets of Naples, fearing more tremors.
Photos later emerged showing one damaged house and a car with a smashed windscreen.
A rescue co-ordination centre has been set up to assess the damage.
Schools in Pozzuoli and two nearby neighbourhoods will be closed on Thursday so building stability checks can be carried out, the Corriere Della Sera newspaper reported.
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