Watch: Fast-travelling molten lava flows metres from Iceland defence barriers

Powerful lava flows from a volcano engulfed parts of Iceland’s Reykjavik peninsula during its fourth eruption in three months.

The eruption began late on Saturday, 16 March, sending luminous orange jets of lava into the night sky.

Fountains of molten rock soared from a 3km long fissure, with lava flowing a few hundred metres from Grindavik, which was first evacuated in November.

Defensive barriers were built to stop it from inundating the main road along the peninsula’s southern coast.

No flight disruptions were reported but hundreds of people were evacuated from the Blue Lagoon thermal spa.