An Icelandic coastguard helicopter flying above magma near Grindavik on Iceland's Reykjanes peninsula.

Eruption on Reykjanes peninsula in southwest takes place following evacuation of thousands from nearby town.

In a dramatic turn of events, a volcano has erupted on Iceland's Reykjanes peninsula, following weeks of heightened earthquake activity. The Icelandic Met Office reported that the eruption commenced north of the town of Grindavik at 22:17 local time, prompting the evacuation of approximately 4,000 residents and the closure of the renowned Blue Lagoon geothermal spa.

Volcano eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula, about 3 km north of Grindavik, Iceland, following an earthquake on Dec. 18, 2023.

People watch as the night sky is illuminated caused by the eruption of a volcano in Grindavik on Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula

The magma flow on a hill near Grindavik town, which sits on the Reykjanes peninsula and is close to Keflavik airport, Iceland’s main facility for international flights

 

China's devastating Earthquake

Shallow magnitude 6.2 quake strikes near border of Gansu and Qinghai in remote, mountainous region. 

A seismic event in northwestern China has resulted in the tragic loss of at least 200 lives and left hundreds injured, as the earthquake struck a remote, mountainous region while many were asleep. Emergency responses were swiftly mobilized by authorities; however, their efforts were impeded by the earthquake's impact on roads, infrastructure, landslides, and the partial burial of a village in silt. The rescue operations faced additional challenges due to subzero temperatures, exacerbated by a powerful cold wave sweeping across China.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for "all-out efforts" in search and relief operations. State media reported the deployment of nearly 1,500 firefighters with an additional 1,500 on standby, along with over 300 officers and soldiers mobilized for disaster relief.

The earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.2, struck Gansu province near the border with Qinghai at 23:59 pm on Monday. It caused significant damage, felt as far away as Xi'an in northern Shaanxi province. State television footage depicted emergency vehicles on snow-lined highways, and rescue workers standing shoulder to shoulder in trucks.

Supplies, including drinking water, blankets, stoves, and instant noodles, were dispatched to the affected area. Residents near the epicenter rushed to the streets as some buildings collapsed. Amid freezing temperatures (minus 12 degrees Celsius or 10.4 Fahrenheit), witnesses described the tremors as feeling like being tossed up after surging waves, prompting urgent evacuations from multi-story buildings

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