On the Reykjanes peninsula of Iceland, a volcano erupts

According to a statement released by the Icelandic Meteorological Office on Monday, a volcano on the Reykjanes peninsula of Iceland is erupting.

After an earthquake that occurred about an hour earlier, the eruption started at around 10 p.m. local time.

According to the meteorological office, the eruption can be seen on webcams and seems to be near Hagafell, which is approximately 3 kilometers north of Grindavík.

The meteorological office stated, "A Coast Guard helicopter will take off shortly to confirm the exact location and size of the eruption."

A volcanic eruption threatened to destroy Grindavík and surrounding settlements, so earlier this year locals were forced to flee their homes.

A national state of emergency was declared at the time due to a strong wave of hundreds of earthquakes, as reported by the country's Civil Protection Agency, which also stated that a magma tunnel that could potentially reach Grindavík was forming.

Referring to a 1973 eruption that started suddenly and destroyed 400 homes, the agency stated, "It is clear that we are dealing with events that we Icelanders have not experienced before, at least not since the eruption in Vestmannaeyjar."