Following months of seismic activity, a volcano on Iceland’s Reykjanes peninsula finally erupted last night. 

At 22:17 local time, an earthquake swarm was followed by an eruption which tore open a 2.5-mile (4km) fissure of boiling lava. 

Experts have warned that huge lava flows could threaten the nearby town and power station.

However, scientists say that the town of Grindavik, less than two miles south of the eruption may yet avoid the worst of the damage. 

But just how bad could the eruption get? MailOnline spoke to experts to find out.  

The Reykjanes peninsula has been on high alert for weeks after experiencing increased earthquake activity beginning in late October. 

Grindavik’s 4,000 residents were evacuated in November, when strong seismic activity raised fears of an imminent eruption. 

However, fears of an eruption had begun to abate by this weekend.

The popular Blue Lagoon tourist destination even reopened on Sunday despite experiencing 230 earthquakes overnight. 

But yesterday’s eruption threatens to destroy both the town and tourist attraction. 

When it first erupted, the fissure stretched about 2.2 miles (3.5km) and put out hundreds of cubic meters of lava every second.

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