6 months ago
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A volcanic eruption has started in south-west Iceland, forcing the evacuation of the famous geothermal Blue Lagoon spa and the small fishing town of Grindavik.
A new fissure opened up near Sundhnuksgigar on the Reykjanes peninsula around 12:40 GMT.
The Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) said the fissure is currently longer than 2.5km (1.5 miles) in length and continuing to grow.
Footage from the site shows a wall of molten rock shooting up to a height of 50m, and huge plumes of smoke covering most of the sky.
Officials also reported "intense earthquake activity" prior to Wednesday's eruption.
The IMO said the eruption is the fifth to occur on the Reykjanes peninsula since December.
Most of the 4,000 residents of the nearby town of Grindavik were permanently evacuated in November, prior to the eruptions in December, January, February and March.
Lava flowed into the streets of Grindavik during the January eruption, engulfing three homes.
A few residents had since returned to live in neighbourhoods less at risk from lava flow, but officials said they were evacuated on Wednesday when the magma intrusion began to flow closer to Grindavik.
The National Police Commissioner said it had put the Civil Defense on an emergency footing.
Iceland has 33 active volcano systems and sits over what is known as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the boundary between two of the largest tectonic plates on the planet.
The last time the Reykjanes Peninsula had a period of volcanic activity was 800 years ago - and the eruptions continued for decades.
This is now the seventh eruption since 2021, and scientists believe the area is entering a new volcanic era that could last for decades or even centuries.
