Iceland volcano erupts in same area where earlier activity required evacuations

People look at the volcano erupting, north of Grindavík, Iceland (Marco Di Marco/AP)

A volcano in south-western Iceland has erupted, less than two months after a previous eruption in the area forced the evacuation of the coastal town of Grindavik.

The eruption began at about 6am local time, sending lava into the air along a three-kilometre-long (1.9-mile-long) fissure north-east of Mount Sundhnukur, the Icelandic Meteorological Office said.