The country has declared a state of emergency. Air traffic has already been suspended.

The first reports of the incident were received at 21:40 Icelandic time. At 22:59 (00:59 Moscow time) the meteorological service officially announced the beginning of the eruption of the volcano Fagradalsfjall in the southwest of the country. It is about 40 kilometers from Reykjavik.

According to Reuters, Icelandic authorities have imposed a temporary ban on incoming and outbound flights from Keflavik Airport, the country’s main international hub. All major roads in the area of the volcano are blocked.

Fagradalsfjal’s eruption followed thousands of relatively small earthquakes in southwestern Iceland over the past few weeks. On this basis, the country declared a state of emergency and began to prepare for a major eruption.

Icelandic police have asked residents to remain calm and “under no circumstances” not to come close to the danger zone. Firefighters, medics, and scientists began working on the situation.