A volcano in southwestern Iceland erupted on Feb. 8 for the third time since December, pumping lava up to 80 metres into the air, sending fast-moving lava onto roads, and disrupting the supply of hot water to a region just south of Reykjavik. – Feb 8, 2024
A volcano in Iceland is erupting for the third time since December, sending chunks of molten rock and jets of lava skyward, creating a perilous situation for residents and tourists.
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The popular Blue Lagoon geothermal spa has been evacuated and thousands of residents are without heat and hot water after a channel of lava engulfed a supply pipeline along a three-kilometre fissure northeast of Mount Sýlingarfell.
Plumes of lava shot more than 50 metres into the air, witnessed by a Coast Guard helicopter flying over the peninsula early on Thursday morning.
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An aerial view shows lava after volcano eruption northeast of Sylingarfell, near Grindavik, Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland early Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024.
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Emergency services close a road as lava erupts from a fissure on Feb. 8, 2024 in Grandavik, Iceland.
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A view of lava crossing the main road to Grindavík and flowing on the road leading to the Blue Lagoon, in Grindavík, Iceland, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024. The eruption on Thursday morning triggered the evacuation the Blue Lagoon spa which is one of the island nation’s biggest tourist attractions.
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A group of people observe molten lava and billowing smoke pouring out of a fissure during a volcanic eruption near Grindavik, western Iceland on Feb. 8, 2024. A volcanic eruption started on the Reykjanes peninsula in southwestern Iceland on Thursday, the third to hit the area since December, authorities said.
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Lava reaches close to the road to Grindavík, near the exit for the blue lagoon, in Grindavík, Iceland, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024.
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Molten lava is seen overflowing the road leading to the famous tourist destination "Blue Lagoon" near Grindavik, western Iceland on Feb. 8, 2024.
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A view of lava crossing the main road to Grindavík and flowing on the road leading to the Blue Lagoon, in Grindavík, Iceland, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024.
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Molten lava is seen overflowing the road leading to the famous tourist destination Blue Lagoon near Grindavik, western Iceland on Feb. 8, 2024.
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Molten lava is seen overflowing the road leading to the famous tourist destination Blue Lagoon near Grindavik, western Iceland on Feb. 8, 2024.
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A view of lava hitting the hot water pipeline flowing on the road leading to the Blue Lagoon, in Grindavík, Iceland, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024.
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An aerial view shows lava after volcano eruption northeast of Sylingarfell, near Grindavik, Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland early Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024.
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A view of lava crossing the main road to Grindavík and flowing on the road leading to the Blue Lagoon, in Grindavík, Iceland, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024. The eruption on Thursday morning triggered the evacuation the Blue Lagoon spa which is one of the island nation’s biggest tourist attractions.
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Molten lava and billowing smoke pours out of a fissure behind a fire station during a volcanic eruption near Grindavik, western Iceland on Feb. 8, 2024.
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A view of lava crossing the main road to Grindavík and flowing on the road leading to the Blue Lagoon, in Grindavík, Iceland, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024. A volcano in southwestern Iceland has erupted for the third time since December and sent jets of lava into the sky. The eruption on Thursday morning triggered the evacuation the Blue Lagoon spa which is one of the island nation’s biggest tourist attractions.
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The previous eruption, which started on Jan. 14, lasted around two days and threatened the outskirts of the Grindavik fishing town. Some 4,000 residents had to be evacuated. Several homes were set alight during that eruption.
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In this image made from video, volcanic activity is seen in Grindavik, Iceland, Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024.
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Thursday’s eruption, however, took place away from Grindavik. Icelandic geophysicist Ari Trausti Gudmundsoon told Reuters that it was unlikely to pose a direct threat to the town.
Sylingarfell volcano erupted about 3 kilometres north of the town of Grindavik.
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Unlike the 2010 eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano, which spewed huge clouds of ash into the atmosphere and grounded flights across Europe for days because of fear that ash could damage airplane engines, the most recent eruptions are so-called fissure eruptions and are unlikely to produce large clouds of ash.
The Icelandic Meteorological Office says that while lava continues to spew from parts of the fissure and huge plumes steam are rising where the magma is mixing with groundwater, they have observed a decrease in the strength of the eruption over the course of Thursday.
— With files from Reuters and The Associated Press