The volcanic fissure that opened up inside Iceland during the later hours of Tuesday has continued to expand.

Today, it stretches further north than at any given moment in time since the year 2023.

Both lava as well as toxic gas were seen spilling from the latest eruption on the Reykjanes Peninsula.

Officials shared how the crack in the ground measures a whopping 2.4 kilometers, with fresh lava now covering 3.2 square kilometers. A huge sulfur dioxide gas cloud continues to blow towards the Keflavik International Airport. As per authorities, all citizens were informed to stay indoors to remain safe and keep their windows shut at all times as the levels of pollution continue to rise.

Despite this, flights continue to operate normally and the airport remains open.

Nearby towns, the famous Blue Lagoon Spa, and more tourist sites were evacuated as a safety measure. The town most impacted was Grindavik, which continued to remain mostly empty. This is the 12th time that an eruption has taken place since the year 2021, and this is said to be a part of the growing sequence of volcanic events on the Reykjanes Peninsula, which started when dormant systems were reactivated after several centuries of silence.