A volcano erupted on Wednesday in southwest Iceland, authorities said, with live media images showing it belched smoke and dramatic flows of glowing hot yellow and orange lava, the latest in a series of outbreaks near the capital in recent years.

The eruption began early July 16 on the Sundhnúkur Crater Row, about 30 miles southwest from the capital, Reykjavik. See images of the eruption.

An official said the eruption near Reykjavik, the 12th in four years from the same volcanic system, posed no threat to people or infrastructure.