Terrible: Icelandic volcano continues to erupt, thousands of tourists almost die on site

On March 19, 2021, the Fagradalsfjall volcano erupted after lying dormant for 800 years. Three months later, the volcano on Iceland’s Reykjanes peninsula is still spewing lava and expanding its flow field.

The natural-colour images above show the lava flow progression from March, May, June and July 2021. Note the ground around the volcano was still covered in snow in March. The darkest areas in May and June show where lava has cooled and piled up across the valley floors. Fresh lava flows that are still hot appear orange.

An American tourist, who went missing at the eruption site by Fagradalsfjall mountain, Southwest Iceland, Monday afternoon at about 3 pm, and for whom close to 300 rescue workers searched for more than 24 hours, was found safe and sound shortly before 7:30 pm Tuesday night, about 4 km (2.5 mi) northwest of the eruption site.