Authorities evacuate Grindavík as volcano near Blue Lagoon shows signs of eruption

01 April 2025 , 10:36

633     0

Authorities evacuate Grindavík as volcano near Blue Lagoon shows signs of eruption

Authorities evacuated a town and the Blue Lagoon spa in south-western Iceland on Tuesday as a volcano threatened to erupt for the eighth time.

Magma began flowing at around 6.30 this morning at a volcano near the town of Grindavik, where some 40 homes have been evacuated, national broadcaster RUV said.

The community, located on the Reykjanes Peninsula, was largely evacuated a year ago when the volcano came to life after lying dormant for 800 years.

The magma flow on Tuesday was accompanied by an intense earthquake storm similar to previous eruptions, the Icelandic Met Office said.

"No magma has reached the surface as of now, but an eruption is likely to occur," the office said.

"At this stage, it is not possible to determine where the magma will reach the surface, but the southward shift in the deformation data was not seen during the eruption that began in November 2024," local news reported.

Last week, seismic activity was reported in the area. Around ten earthquakes were recorded near the magma tunnel, prompting heightened vigilance among monitoring teams.

The evacuation of Grindavík - which is home to the famous Blue Lagoon - and the surrounding areas has begun, according to Hjördís Guðmundsdóttir, spokesperson for Civil Defense (Almannavarnir).

They added magma volume beneath Svartsengi is at its highest since the eruption series began in December 2023.

The Icelandic Met Office has warned an eruption is ’likely’. Picture: Icelandic Met Office

In an update posted this morning, the Icelandic Met Office said: "An earthquake swarm began at around 6:30 AM this morning on the Sundhnúks Crater Row.

"The swarm is located between Sýlingarfell and Stóra-Skógfell, in a similar are as seen prior to previous eruptions. The earthquake swarm was followed by a clear change in deformation and pressure changes in boreholes operated by HS Orka. Both independent measurements were a clear sign of the onset of a magma intrusion. 

"No magma has reached the surface as of now, but an eruption is likely to occur."

Grindavík - where the Blue Lagoon is - is being evacuated. Picture: Alamy

Sigríður Kristjánsdóttir, a natural hazard expert at the Icelandic Meteorological Office, told mbl.is that seismic activity was significantly higher during the first part of the night compared to recent days.

“The night watch was on its toes, as there was increased seismic activity shortly after midnight,” Kristjánsdóttir said.

“However, it subsided around 3 am.”

"We are in the middle of an event," said Jóhanna Malen Skúladóttir, a natural hazards specialist.

So far, no impact on air traffic has been reported.

Elizabeth Baker

Technology & Business Editor