Sitting on the Reykjanes peninsula near Iceland’s capital of Reykjavik the eruption has come after the area recorded thousands of earthquakes over the last few weeks that caused great concern in the area.

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This is the volcanoes fourth eruption in just two years.

Aerial footage last week appeared to show a huge crack billowing steam in Grindavik, splitting the Icelandic town in half.

Experts said a nine-mile river of magma running under the peninsula is still active, the BBC reports.

They added that Grindavik would remain evacuated overnight, as the situation continues to be monitored on a “minute by minute” basis.

The Icelandic Meteorological Office said on Monday there was a “significant likelihood” of an eruption in coming days on or just off the Reykjanes peninsula near the capital Reykjavik, despite the size and intensity of earthquakes decreasing.

“We believe that this intrusion is literally hovering, sitting in equilibrium now just below the earth’s surface,” said Matthew James Roberts, director of the service and research division at the meteorological office.