A volcano erupted on the Reykjanes peninsula in Iceland on the night of Wednesday 20 to Thursday 21 November

This was the seventh eruption of the year in this region. A thick cloud of smoke and fire obscured the sky, while lava devastated the landscape, engulfing roads and infrastructure.

Residents of Grindavik, the nearest town, were once again forced to flee their homes after being evacuated last year. One resident said: ‘The police arrived with sirens blaring, it was very noisy.’

The whole town was evacuated, including the famous Blue Lagoon, part of whose car park was submerged in lava. The tourist site has tried to protect itself by erecting dykes, but the threat remains omnipresent. The lava even disrupted a seismic station, demonstrating the violence of the phenomenon. However, the authorities point out that this new eruption, although spectacular, is less intense than previous ones.