Breathtaking video shows northern lights above erupting volcano

Incredible new video has emerged of the northern lights dancing in the sky above an erupting volcano in Iceland.

The volcano, on Reykjanes Peninsula, has erupted several times this year, most recently on August 23 last week.

The new video shows the lights - also known as aurora borealis - flickering as lava erupts below.

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"It felt like we were on a trek though Lord of the Rings," one witness said.

"It was hectic, it was awesome to see," said another.

Iceland authorities said last week the eruption's effects remain localised with road closures but do not threaten the population.

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Halldór Björnsson, head of weather and climate at the Norwegian Meteorological Agency, told the Icelandic news portal Vísir that unlike previous eruptions, the lava flow was not heading for the town of Grindavik that was largely evacuated in December when the volcano came to life after being dormant for 800 years.

The repeated volcanic eruptions close to Grindavík, a town of 3800 people about 50km southwest of the capital, Reykjavik, have damaged infrastructure and property and forced many residents to relocate to guarantee their safety.

The few who had returned were forced out once again last week as strong winds blew plumes of toxic gas over the town.

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Iceland, which sits above a volcanic hot spot in the North Atlantic, averages one eruption every four to five years.

The most disruptive in recent times was the 2010 eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano, which spewed clouds of ash into the atmosphere and disrupted trans-Atlantic air travel for months.

The latest eruption is not expected to impact air travel.

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