Tourists flee while the volcano breaks out near the world’s renowned blue lagoon fair in Iceland

A volcanic eruption in Iceland forced tourists to evacuate the geothermal spa from the blue lagoon on Wednesday while images captured the lava flowing through a crack on the surface of the earth.

The eruption started around 4 am following an intense seismic swarm in the Reykjanes peninsula, southwest of the capital, said Reykjavik, Iceland.

“In an abundance of prudence, the city of Grindavík and the Blue Lagoon have been successfully evacuated,” the Icelandic government said. “It is advisable for travelers in the region to monitor air quality, as gas pollution of the eruption site can occur.”

The eruption lava flows south-east of a crack in the sterile landscape of 2,296 to 3,280 feet wide, according to the Met Office.

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The lava emerges by a crack following an eruption of the volcano near Grindavik, Iceland, Wednesday July 16, 2025. (Hordur Kristleifsson via Iceland’s civil protection)

Grindavik has been assigned several times by volcanic activity since November 2023, when a volcano in the region has come to life after being in sleep for about 800 years.

“Air traffic towards and from Iceland is not affected and Iceland remains open and safe for tourists. This volcanic activity is very localized and has no impact on infrastructure or attractions in the rest of Iceland,” said the country’s government.

He described volcanic activity as a “fact of life in Iceland, and the Icelanders have learned to live with its inconvenience and considerable advantages, such as geothermal energy”.

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Tourists take advantage of the blue lagoon geothermal spa. (Danuta Hamlin)

“The Icelandic Meteorological Office, the Civil Protection Department and Emergency Management, and a team of scientists from the University of Iceland monitor and analyze the developments concerning (to) seismic activities,” he also said.

The officials said that there had been a dozen volcanic eruptions on the Reykjanes peninsula dating from 2021.

“There is no way to predict precisely if, where or when seismic activity can lead to a volcanic eruption or the possible size of such an eruption, but they are closely monitored and constantly evaluated according to the best available scientific data,” said the Icelandic government.

The eruption of Wednesday, July 16, 2025, as shown in a coast guard helicopter during a surveillance flight. (The Icelandic Met Office / Halldór Björnsson)

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“Iceland is located on the Middle Atlantic crest, where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates diverge, which makes it one of the most active volcanic regions in the world. Regular seismic events are a characteristic characteristic of Icelandic geology, ranging from minor tremors to significant earthquakes,” added. “Seismic activity in Iceland is often due to the movement of magma under the earth’s crust. This can sometimes lead to the search for the simplest path towards the surface and become a volcanic eruption.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.