Volcanic eruption begins in Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula

ATHENS

A new volcanic eruption began Tuesday morning on Iceland's southern Reykjanes Peninsula, local media reported.

Lava has already breached defensive barriers around the nearby town of Grindavik, according to the public broadcaster RUV.

Citing local authorities, the outlet said Grindavik, south of the capital Reykjavik, had already been evacuated, though a few residents reportedly chose to remain.

Tourists and residents in the Grindavik area, including near the popular Blue Lagoon site, received SMS alerts in several languages urging them to evacuate quickly and safely.

Runolfur Thorhallsson, the head of the civil defense department, told RUV that the eruption could become much larger than previous ones and that the magma intrusion is now significantly longer.

More than 200 earthquakes have been recorded since the activity began, including one with a magnitude of 4.

This marks the 11th such eruption since 2021 when volcanic activity resumed after the Reykjanes Peninsula had remained dormant for nearly 800 years.

Iceland, which sits atop the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, is one of the most volcanically active countries in the world, with around 30 active volcano systems.