Iceland: Grindavik volcano eruption prompts new evacuations

A volcano successful Grindavik, Iceland, erupted again connected Wednesday, spewing lava and clouds of ash into the air.

Iceland's Met Office said the volcano was shooting lava astir 50 meters (165 feet) precocious from a fissure that was astir 1 kilometer (1,100 yards) long.

It is the 5th volcanic eruption successful the portion since December, and it comes astir 3 weeks aft the extremity of the erstwhile eruption.

The volcanic fissure adjacent Grindavik is astir 1 kilometer (1,100 yards) longImage: Birn Oddsson/Iceland Civil Defense/AP/picture alliance

Blue Lagoon evacuated

Authorities person declared a authorities of emergency.

The eruption triggered the evacuation of the adjacent Blue Lagoon geothermal spa, a fashionable tourer attraction. Around 700 to 800 visitors were said to beryllium staying determination arsenic of Wednesday morning.

Additionally, the fewer residents who returned to the adjacent municipality of Grindavik since it was evacuated successful precocious 2023 were erstwhile again ordered to leave.

Air postulation has not been importantly disrupted by the ash cloudImage: Birn Oddsson/Iceland Civil Defense/AP/picture alliance

Iceland's main planetary airdrome successful Keflavik, adjacent the capital, remained "open and operating successful the accustomed way," airdrome relation Isavia said connected its website.

The latest eruptions awesome a reawakening of the Svartsengi volcanic strategy aft astir 800 years of dormancy.

It's unclear when this volcanic enactment volition dice down again, oregon what it means for the Reykjanes Peninsula — 1 of the fewer densely populated parts of Iceland.

zc/msh (AP, Reuters, AFP, dpa)