Volcanic eruption in Iceland forces tourists to evacuate Blue Lagoon, as lava flows near town of Grindavik

A volcanic eruption in southwestern Iceland has once again forced the evacuation of tourists at the internationally known Blue Lagoon geothermal spa, the national broadcaster RUV reported. The eruption began around 4 a.m. following an intense seismic swarm on the Reykjanes Peninsula, southwest of the capital, Reykjavik, Iceland’s Met Office said.

A campsite in the town of Grindavik was evacuated shortly after the seismic activity began. Guests at the Blue Lagoon were forced to quickly pack their bags, RUV reported.

Lava from the eruption is flowing southeast from a fissure in the barren landscape that is about 2,300 to 3,300 feet wide, but the molten rock isn’t threatening any infrastructure, the Met Office said.

Grindavik has been repeatedly affected by the activity since November 2023 when a volcano in the area came to life after lying dormant for some 800 years. There were at least seven disruptive volcanic eruptions during 2024. But authorities said Wednesday that the town was not in danger.

An eruption in early April also forced tourists to leave Blue Lagoon, and flames and smoke shooting into the air from the open fissure near Grindavik also prompted the evacuation of about 40 homes.

Iceland sits above a volcanic hot spot in the North Atlantic and is home to 33 active volcanic systems, more than any other European country. It is situated on top of a rift between two tectonic plates, which makes the island nation vulnerable to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

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