Volcano erupts in Iceland, triggering tourist evacuation

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) -A volcano erupted to the south of Iceland's capital on Tuesday, spewing lava and smoke in a fiery display of orange and red that triggered the evacuation of tourists and residents, although air traffic continued as normal.

Referred to as a land of ice and fire for its many glaciers and volcanoes, the North Atlantic island nation has now seen 11 eruptions south of Reykjavik since 2021, when dormant geological systems reactivated after some 800 years.

"Warning: An eruption has begun," the Icelandic meteorological office said in a statement.

The outbreak penetrated protective barriers close to the Grindavik fishing town, triggering an evacuation of those residents who had returned following previous eruptions, although most houses have stood empty for over a year.

"There is lava coming within the barrier at the moment, but it's a very limited eruption so far," said Rikke Pedersen, head of the Nordic Volcanological Center.

Emergency services also evacuated the nearby Blue Lagoon luxury spa in the hours ahead of the eruption, as geologists had warned it was imminent.

Pedersen said the outbreak was similar in size to an eruption from January 2024, which spewed lava into Grindavik.

The eruptions on the Reykjanes peninsula so far have not directly affected the capital city Reykjavik and have not caused significant dispersal of ash into the stratosphere, avoiding air traffic disruption.

Icelandic experts predict that the so-called fissure eruptions, characterised by lava flowing out of long cracks in the earth's crust rather than a single volcanic opening, could repeat themselves for decades, or even centuries.

The North Atlantic island, home to nearly 400,000 people, attracts thousands of tourists every year who come to explore its rugged nature, including geysers, hot springs and volcanoes.

Iceland sits astride the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates are pulling apart, and is largely covered by black lava fields, contrasted with glaciers and blankets of vibrant green moss.

(Reporting by Louise Rasmussen; Editing by Terje Solsvik and Ros Russell)