Flames and smoke shot through the air as the volcanic fissure opened near the town of Grindavik.
ADVERTISEMENTA volcano began erupting in southwestern Iceland on Tuesday as tourists at the nearby Blue Lagoon and residents of local communities were evacuated.
Flames and smoke shot through the air as a fissure opened near the town of Grindavík, about 50 kilometres southwest of the capital, Reykjavik, where roughly 40 homes have been evacuated, according to national broadcaster RUV.
The magma flow began at around 6:30am local time on 1 April, following a swarm of small earthquakes in the area around the Sunddhnúksgígar volcano.
Iceland sits above a volcanic hotspot in the North Atlantic and, on average, sees one eruption every four to five years. The Reykjanes Peninsula had not seen an eruption in around 800 years until March 2021, when a period of heightened seismic activity began.
Experts have warned that volcanic activity in the region has entered a new era, with the frequency of eruptions having surged since 2021.
Iceland’s Blue Lagoon closed until further notice
The Blue Lagoon is one of the country’s biggest tourist attractions. Authorities evacuated guests from the geothermal spa, moving them to nearby hotels when it became clear an eruption was imminent.
It will remain closed through 1 April, and the situation will be assessed later, according to a message posted on the Blue Lagoon’s website. All guests with bookings during this temporary closure will be contacted.
Iceland’s Met Office has said that the fissure is now around 700 metres long and has reached through the protective barrier north of the town of Grindavik. The Met Office said in a statement that “it cannot be ruled out that it may continue to open further south.”
The town of Grindavík and the area around it are being evacuated and are closed. Travellers have been asked to respect the closures and instructions from local authorities and to stay away from the area while conditions are being assessed, according to Safe Travel Iceland.
During previous eruptions, tourists and locals keen to see the majestic event have been repeatedly warned to stay away from Reykjanes.
Though it is yet to be updated for the most recent eruption, the UK’s FCDO says eruptions and earthquakes are common in Iceland due to the country’s nature geography.
“In the event of an eruption or wider seismic activity follow the latest advice issued by the authorities,” it says. It adds that travellers should regularly check for alerts and advice from the Icelandic Tourism Board, Icelandic Met Office, Safe Travel Iceland and the Civil Defense Facebook Page.
The effects of the eruption are currently localised and have not caused any problems for the nearby Keflavík airport- Iceland’s main international airport.
Though ash clouds from previous volcanic eruptions in Iceland have had disrupted international air travel, this one is not expected to do so.
