The Sundhnúkur volcano has erupted near Reykjavik, the 12th volcanic eruption in Iceland since 2021.
The North Atlantic island nation is on high alert after glowing orange lava spewed across the Reykjanes Peninsula and smoke belched into the sky.
People were evacuated from the Blue Lagoon, a luxury geothermal spa resort, and the nearby fishing town of Grindavik in the early hours of this morning, the Icelandic Meteorological Office said.
Now, holidaymakers ae wondering if it’s safe to travel to Iceland right now — or whether they’d be safer to reschedule their trip.
What has the UK Foreign Office said?
The Foreign Office updated its guidance on travel to Iceland first thing this morning.
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It warned of a ‘series of volcanic eruptions’ in the southwest of the country, and told travellers to follow the advice of local authorities.
It’s worth noting that because the Foreign Office has not advised against travel to Iceland, you won’t qualify for a refund if you decide to cancel your trip.
Travel insurance is unlikely to help, either. Insurers will argue there is no reason not to go.
Is Reykjavik airport open and have flights been affected?
Reykjavik’s Keflavik airport is open and flights appear to be operating normally.
As of 8:30am on Wednesday, several regional Icelandair flights are due to arrive and depart in the next two hours.
We’ll keep an eye on FlightRadar and update this article if anything changes.
Is the Blue Lagoon open?
The iconic Blue Lagoon, a five-star geothermal spa that’s popular with British tourists, is closed.
The resort doubles as a hotel with 60 rooms, plus a Michelin star restaurant and a private lagoon for VIPs.
It has been forced to close many times over the past four years, when seismic activity restarted in the Reykjanes Peninsula.
In May last year, barriers were erected around the site and in the town of Grindavik in a bid to protect communities from magma.
How common are volcanic eruptions in Iceland?
Recently, quite common.
Iceland, which is often referred to as the land of ice and fire, has recorded a dozen volcanic eruptions since geological systems on its Reykjanes Peninsula reactivated four years ago.
So far, the Reykjanes eruptions have not posed a threat to the capital Reykjavik, nor have they caused air traffic disruptions, unlike the 2010 eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano.
You might remember that one: planes were grounded across Northern Europe and parts of the Mediterranean as far south as southern Spain for almost a week.
Due to increased seismic activity, Grindavik has become a ghost town.
The fishing spot was home to almost 4,000 people before an evacuation order was issued in 2023. Today, it is largely deserted because of the threat of earthquakes and lava flows.
