A volcano in southwestern Iceland erupted on Wednesday, prompting an evacuation order for around 800 tourists staying at nearby hotels and resorts.
The latest activity marks the fifth time the volcano has erupted since December. On Wednesday afternoon, the volcano began spewing lava from a fissure in the Sundhnjukar mountain ridge. Lava spouts fired as high as 150 feet into the air, according to The New York Times.
The eruption prompted the evacuation of hundreds of tourists staying at nearby hotels, including at Iceland’s famous Blue Lagoon, a popular geothermal spa. Nearly 800 guests in the area received a text on Wednesday that said, “Evacuate, Evacuate!” as sirens, installed in February, began to sound over the volcanic activity.
A message posted on the Blue Lagoon’s website announced that the spa will be closed until at least Friday.
“Due to a volcanic eruption that commenced in Sundhnúksgígar on May 29, we took the precautionary measure of evacuating and temporarily closing all our operational units. We have made the decision to extend the closure throughout May 31, at which time the situation will be reassessed,” the message says.
The volcanic activity has repeatedly threatened Grindavík, a small fishing town home to about 3,000 people, while barricades erected to protect the town have directed lava flows away from buildings. The town, located about 30 miles southwest of the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik, was evacuated months ago when eruptions began.
“Lava is flowing outside the defense walls at Grindavík in several places, and lava is also starting to flow outside the walls at Svartsengi,” Víðir Reynisson from Iceland’s Civil Defense said, according to CNN.
“The houses in the west and farthest part of the town would have gone under the lava if it weren’t for the defensive walls, but they are still standing and defending,” Reynisson added.
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Magnús Tumi Guðmundsson, a professor of geophysics at the University of Iceland, said that the latest eruption has caused “significant damage” to pipes and roads around the town, according to The Washington Post.
The threat to the town was reduced by Thursday, Grindavík’s mayor said, according to CNN.
“I like the situation quite well compared to how it looked at the beginning of the eruption yesterday,” Mayor Fannar Jónasson said.
Images and videos of the eruption spread online showing lava spewing into the air from a massive crack in the ground. Clouds of smoke billowed from the fissure.
❗🌋🇮🇸 – Incredible images of the eruption of the Sundhnuksgigarodur volcano in Iceland, which began today.
This is the fifth eruptive episode since December, and the sight is simply spectacular! pic.twitter.com/51PheGGb5k
— 🔥🗞The Informant (@theinformant_x) May 29, 2024
