Iceland’s Blue Lagoon has been shut and tourists evacuated due to the latest volcanic eruption in the south-west of the country.
Protective barriers around the nearby town of Grindavik were breached, as a new eruptive fissure opened a few hundred meters inside, the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) reported.
Multiple earthquakes occurred in the volcanic area throughout the day on Tuesday.
The Foreign Office updated its travel advice for Iceland, saying: “Recently there has been a series of volcanic eruptions on the Reykjanes peninsula in south-west Iceland, the latest on 1 April.
“These have affected the town of Grindavik and the area to the north of it.
“Keflavik International airport and the road to it is unaffected and operating normally.
“The capital city, Reykjavik, and the rest of Iceland is not affected by these recent eruptions.
“It is likely there will be further eruptions in this location. Monitor local media for updates and always follow the authorities’ advice on travel to the area.”
The quake was reported by the IMO to have started at 6.30am on Tuesday.
A statement from the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa said: “Due to a volcanic eruption that commenced in Sundhnúksgígar on April 1, Blue Lagoon will be closed until 15.00 on Wednesday, April 2, at which time the situation will be reassessed.
“All guests with bookings during this temporary closure will be contacted.”
The IMO said in an update at 6.30pm on Tuesday: “Volcanic activity north of Grindavík continues to decrease, with little visible activity on webcams or in recent drone footage.
“However, seismic activity continues. Earthquake activity near the southern part of the magma dike, close to Grindavík, has decreased, while activity at the northern end of the dike continues with similar intensity and has shifted even further north in recent hours.”
Iceland has experienced at least 11 eruptions south of Reykjavik since 2021.