Lava shoots 160 feet into air after new volcanic eruption outside Grindavik in Iceland

GRINDAVIK, Iceland – Evacuations are underway, and a state of emergency has been declared after a volcano near the seaside town of Grindavík in Iceland erupted on Wednesday morning, sending lava shooting more than 160 feet into the air and opening a fissure more than 1.5 miles long.

According to national public broadcaster RÚV, the eruption began just before 1 p.m. local time (9 a.m. ET) after hundreds of earthquakes shook the region over the past several days.

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In a statement on Facebook, Iceland’s Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management said the magma tunnel was advancing closer to Grindavík.

RÚV said Grindavík was evacuated before the eruption, but first responders remained in town.

“The magma intrusion is moving closer to the town of Grindavik, and responders and others in Grindavík are asked to be ready to evacuate the town on very short notice,” the announcement on Facebook read.

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The popular travel destination Blue Lagoon has also been evacuated because of the eruption.

“Due to the eruption that commenced in Sundhnúksgígar on May 29, we took the precautionary measure of evacuating and temporarily closing all of our operational units today,” Blue Lagoon said in a statement.

Officials are asking people to stay away from the lava fountains, and flights in the area have not yet been affected by the eruption.

Scientists say they believe lava could reach Grindavík soon based on the speeds at which the lava is flowing.

The volcano has erupted several times since the end of 2023, forcing the evacuation of the town, as well as Blue Lagoon, several times.