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A volcanic eruption in Iceland pressured vacationers to evacuate the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa on Wednesday as photographs captured lava flowing by a fissure within the Earth’s floor.
The eruption started round 4 a.m. following an intense seismic swarm on the Reykjanes Peninsula, southwest of the capital, Reykjavik, Iceland’s Met Workplace stated.
“In an abundance of warning, the city of Grindavík and the Blue Lagoon had been efficiently evacuated,” Iceland’s authorities stated. “Vacationers within the space are suggested to watch air high quality, as fuel air pollution from the eruption website could happen.”
Lava from the eruption is flowing southeast from a fissure within the barren panorama that’s 2,296 to three,280 toes extensive, in response to the Met Workplace.
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Lava emerges by a fissure following a volcano eruption close to Grindavik, Iceland, on Wednesday, July 16, 2025. (Hordur Kristleifsson by way of Civil Safety Of Iceland)
Grindavik has been repeatedly affected by volcanic activity since November 2023 when a volcano within the space got here to life after mendacity dormant for some 800 years.
“Air site visitors to and from Iceland is unaffected, and Iceland stays open and secure for vacationers. This volcanic exercise is extremely localized and has no impression on infrastructure or sights throughout the remainder of Iceland,” the nation’s authorities stated.
It described volcanic exercise as a “reality of life in Iceland, and Icelanders have discovered to dwell with its drawbacks and appreciable benefits, corresponding to geothermal vitality.”
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Vacationers having fun with the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa. (Danuta Hamlin)
“The Icelandic Meteorological Workplace, The Division of Civil Safety and Emergency Administration, and a staff of scientists from the College of Iceland intently monitor and analyze developments relating [to] seismic actions,” it additionally stated.
Officers stated there have been a dozen volcanic eruptions on the Reykjanes Peninsula courting again to 2021.
“There isn’t a means of precisely predicting whether or not, the place, or when seismic exercise could end in a volcanic eruption or the potential dimension of such an eruption, however they’re intently monitored and always evaluated based mostly on the most effective scientific information accessible,” Iceland’s authorities stated.
The eruption on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, as seen from a Coast Guard helicopter throughout a surveillance flight. (The Icelandic Met Workplace/Halldór Björnsson)
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“Iceland is located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the place the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates diverge, making it one of the energetic volcanic areas on this planet. Common seismic occasions are a attribute function of Icelandic geology, starting from minor tremors to important earthquakes,” it added. “Seismic exercise in Iceland is usually on account of magma motion beneath the earth’s crust. It could generally end in magma in search of the simplest path to the floor and changing into a volcanic eruption.”
The Related Press contributed to this report.
