Iceland Monitors New Volcanic Eruption

A minor volcanic eruption began on Monday afternoon in an uninhabited area on Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula, the country’s weather officials said.

The eruption, which began at 4:40 p.m. U.T.C., was described as small and posing “no immediate risks to communities or infrastructure,” the Icelandic Met Office said.

It is in a zone that rests between the Fagradalsfjall and Keilir volcanic mountains, roughly 20 miles from the country’s coastal capital, Reykjavik, the office said.

Lava was emerging as “a series of fountains” and flowing south from a fissure on the slope of a hill called Litli Hrútur, officials said. Toxic gas and steam emissions from the fissure were drifting to the northwest, according to officials.

“There are no disruptions to flights to and from Iceland and international flight corridors remain open,” Iceland’s foreign affairs ministry said in a statement.

The public was warned to stay away from the eruption as officials continue to assess its development in the coming days.

Situated on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the sparsely populated island nation,…