Eruption Evicts Blue Lagoon Visitors: Volcanic Activity in Iceland

A volcanic eruption on Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula led to evacuations of residents and tourists, including those at the Blue Lagoon spa. Eruptive activity began after intense seismic activity with lava flows away from infrastructure. The area has faced repeated evacuations since November 2023.

For the second time in recent memory, residents and visitors in southwestern Iceland have been forced to evacuate due to a volcanic eruption. The Icelandic national broadcaster RUV detailed the evacuation of the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa in the wake of the event.

The eruption erupted around 4 a.m. on the Reykjanes Peninsula, southwest of Reykjavik, following a swarm of seismic activity, according to Iceland's Met Office. The town of Grindavik was one of the areas evacuated shortly thereafter, with guests and campers packing up hurriedly amid rising concerns.

Despite the lava flowing southeast from the fissure, measuring between 700 and 1,000 meters wide, the molten rock currently poses no threat to local infrastructure, confirmed the Met Office. The community has faced frequent evacuations since November 2023, when the volcano reactivated after an 800-year dormancy.

(With inputs from agencies.)