A volcanic eruption in southwestern Iceland on May 29, 2024, spewed red lava towards the coastal town of Grindavik and led to the evacuation of the popular Blue Lagoon geothermal spa for the fifth time since December. The eruption began at approximately 1 p.m. local time and was estimated to be more powerful than previous eruptions, according to the Icelandic Meteorological Office.
The lava flow reached a height of up to 165 feet (50 meters) into the sky from a fissure that grew to 3.5 kilometers (2.1 miles) in length, causing significant damage and forcing the evacuation of nearly all residents in Grindavik.
The Blue Lagoon thermal spa, one of Iceland's biggest tourist attractions, was also evacuated before the eruption began as a precautionary measure. The government offered to buy all residential homes in Grindavik for residents to resettle elsewhere.
The area is part of the Svartsengi volcanic system that was dormant for nearly 800 years before reawakening. The eruption occurred with little notice, but scientists had predicted another volcanic event would happen after the last eruption three weeks ago.
Grindavik Mayor Fannar Jónasson urged everyone to leave the town and seek shelter elsewhere. He said that a much larger volume of lava was on the move towards Grindavik and had already caused significant damage. The Icelandic Civil Protection Agency also advised people to avoid traveling near the eruption site due to potential hazards.
The volcano has already produced 2.1 square miles (5,400 hectares) of lava since December 2021 and caused disruptions such as cutting off heat and hot water to thousands of people in the region. The most disruptive eruption in recent times was the 2010 eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano, which spewed huge clouds of ash into the atmosphere and led to widespread airspace closures over Europe.
Despite these disruptions, Iceland remains a safe destination for tourists. The country's tourism board urged people not to try to get close to the eruption and noted that most flights were operating normally from Keflavik Airport.
