Drone Captures Incredible, Up-Close Footage Of Erupting Volcano

Volcanoes are one of the most fascinating wonders of the world. They could sit silently for years, then, hot lava suddenly flows. An Icelandic volcano that sat dormant for 800 years came back to life in December 2023. It’s erupted seven times since sending molten lava into the famed Blue Lagoon, ABC News reported. A drone captured incredible footage of the active volcano that looks like something from a movie. The bright orange lava flowing against dark ash creates a beautifully ominous landscape.

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ABC News shared the footage on X, captioning it, “A drone photographer captured stunning footage of lava spewing from the latest volcanic eruption on Iceland’s Reykjanes peninsula, its seventh eruption in a year.”

The volcano last erupted in August, and it looks as though this particular episode will be more brief than the last. The eruption led to the evacuation of about 50 homes as a precautionary measure. According to ABC News, Iceland typically experiences one volcanic eruption every four to five years. This volcano is particularly active, but the current eruption is expected to be short-lived.

“In the big picture, this is a bit smaller than the last eruption, and the eruption that occurred in May,” Magnús Tumi Guðmundsson, a professor of geophysics with the Civil Protection Agency told national broadcaster RUV.

Seeing the drone footage from the volcano is pretty incredible. Britannica explains that the lava we see can reach temperatures from 1,300 to 2,200 degrees. Additionally, the substance itself varies in texture. Sometimes it flows like syrup, and other times, it is particularly stiff. Because it reaches such high temperatures, it can take lava an extremely long time to cool, and it’s incredibly dangerous. A volcano is a wonder that we’re happy to observe in drone footage from our homes.

You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.