Volcano erupts near Iceland's capital in seismic hot spot

A volcano has erupted on a mountain near Iceland's capital Reykjavik after days of rising earthquake activity in the area, the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) said on Wednesday. Images and livestreams by local news outlets MBL and RUV showed lava and smoke spewing from a fissure in the ground on the side of the Fagradalsfjall mountain, which last year saw an eruption that lasted six months. Tourists and residents should avoid the area due to poisonous gases, although there was no immediate risk of damage to critical infrastructure, the Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management said. A "code red" was declared to prohibit airplanes from flying over the site although helicopters were sent in to survey the situation, the IMO told Reuters. If the outbreak was confirmed to be similar to the fissures seen last year, the aviation alert would likely be lowered to orange, signalling less danger, an agency spokesperson said. "Currently, there have been no disruptions to flights to and from Iceland and international flight corridors remain open," the country's foreign ministry said. The Reykjanes Peninsula is a volcanic and seismic hot spot, and the outbreak took place just 25 km from Reykjavik and 15 km from the nation's international airport.<br/>