Volcano erupts on Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula; Blue Lagoon evacuated

A volcano on Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula erupted Wednesday morning, prompting the evacuation of the country’s Blue Lagoon geothermal spa, a popular tourist destination.

GRINDAVÍK, Iceland – A volcano on Iceland‘s Reykjanes Peninsula erupted Wednesday morning, prompting the evacuation of one of the country’s popular tourist destinations, the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa near Grindavík.

According to the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO), the eruption began just before 4 a.m. local time (midnight Eastern Daylight Time) after an intense seismic swarm produced some 300 earthquakes in just over two hours.

Image from a surveillance flight by the Icelandic Coast Guard shows the lava field that formed after an eruption on Wednesday, July 16, 2025.

(Icelandic Meteorological Office/Halldór Björnsson)

The Blue Lagoon evacuated all of its guests when the volcano began showing signs of unrest early Wednesday, and it posted on its website that it would remain closed until at least 1 p.m. local time (9 a.m. EDT).

The IMO noted the eruption was relatively small, with the eruption fissure only about 700 meters long (2,300 feet), so lava flows from the fissure were not expected to pose a threat to the town of Grindavík or the Blue Lagoon. The fissure was not showing signs of any additional growth.

Iceland’s largest international airport, Keflavík Airport, located just 16 miles north of Grindavík, announced Wednesday morning that it was not being impacted by the eruption.

Image of the eruption fissure on Wednesday, July 16, 2025.

(Icelandic Meteorological Office)

“Seismic activity has subsided this morning, but lava flows continue and are moving both east and west, although more to the east,” the IMO said in its latest update. “Poor visibility limits visibility, especially on the west side.”

Officials reported that Pele’s hair, strands of volcanic glass that are often produced by lava-fountaining activity, were being carried downwind of the volcano by the wind, producing high levels of gas pollution in some areas. Residents are being advised to stay indoors, close windows and turn off air conditioning.