In Iceland, a volcano on the Reykjanes Peninsula has begun to erupt. We tell you about the world's most dangerous active volcanoes
On Tuesday night, a powerful volcanic eruption occurred on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwest Iceland after a series of strong earthquakes. Because of this event, about 4 thousand people from the fishing town of Grindavik were evacuated, and the popular geothermal resort “Blue Lagoon” was closed.
According to the Icelandic Meteorological Bureau, the eruption began 4 kilometers northeast of Grindavik at 22:17 local time. The length of the crack in the volcano is about 3.5 km, and lava flows at a rate of about 100-200 cubic meters per second. It should be noted that since the beginning of October, increased seismic activity has been observed in the area of the capital of Iceland, Reykjavík, with thousands of registered tremors.
The 5 most dangerous volcanoes in the world
Vesuvius, Italy
Italy has not only the volcano Etna, which we have already mentioned, but also the infamous Vesuvius. Vesuvius made history when, in 79 AD, it buried the ancient Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum under layers of ash and lava.
Location: Gulf of Naples, Italy.
Type: Stratovolcano.
Last eruption: March 1944.
Who's at risk: 3 million people living around the volcano.
Monitoring: Scientists at the Vesuvius Observatory are closely supervising its volcano activity to prepare for future eruptions and minimize potential loss of life.
Mount Rainier, USA
Mount Rainier is a stratovolcano that contains large amounts of glacial ice on its slopes, making it very vulnerable to lahars (deadly debris flows of volcanic origin).
Location: Washington State, USA.
Type: Stratovolcano.
Who's at risk: The volcano threatens densely populated areas, including the city of Seattle and its suburbs.
Monitoring responsibility: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
Nyiragongo, Democratic Republic of Congo
The volatile stratovolcano Nyiragongo contains the world's largest lava lake. The unpredictability of its eruptions, coupled with the proximity of the city of Goma, poses a great danger to the local population.
Location: Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Type: a stratovolcano with a lava lake.
Who is at risk: Residents of the nearby town of Goma.
Monitoring: Volcano monitoring networks were established and emergency response plans developed to ensure timely evacuation.
Merapi, Indonesia
This Indonesian stratovolcano has a long history of deadly eruptions, with the last major eruption occurring in 2010 and claiming hundreds of lives.
Location: Central Java, Indonesia.
Type: Stratovolcano.
Who's at risk: Nearby densely populated areas that the volcano is surrounded by.
Monitoring: Volcanic activity is closely monitored, and a well-established early warning system is in place to protect local communities.
Popocatépetl, Mexico
Mount Popocatépetl is in the heart of Mexico and is an active stratovolcano. It has been erupting since 1994.
Location: Central Mexico, near Mexico City.
Type: Stratovolcano.
Who's at risk: Residents of Mexico City, as the volcano is nearby.
Monitoring: The National Center for the Prevention of Natural Disasters (CENAPRED) closely monitors the volcano and issues warnings and evacuation plans as needed.
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