Volcano erupts in southwest Iceland

HELSINKI, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- A volcano erupted on the Reykjaness Peninsula in the southwest of Iceland on Wednesday, the country's government has announced.

"We've been expecting an eruption somewhere in this area since the series of earthquakes started last weekend. What we know so far is that the eruption does not pose any risk to populated areas or critical infrastructure. We will of course continue to monitor the situation closely, and now we also benefit from the experience gained from last year's eruption," said Katrin Jakobsdottir, Prime Minister of Iceland.