An Icelandic volcano has spewed lava within 500m of homes in the town of Grindavik, just weeks after residents were allowed to return to their homes following a major eruption. 

Video footage shows an eruption took place at 7.57am local time today, with magma, smoke and ash spurting high into the sky above the town of Grindavik, 25 miles away from Iceland’s capital Reykjavik. 

The fissure grew many times its initial size within just thirty minutes, meteorologists reported. Geologist Magnús Tumi Guðmundsson told local media that the crack is currently a kilometre (3,280 ft) long, adding that he wasn’t certain when it would stop growing.

Pictures show the lava slowly creeping towards the fishing town, with officials saying that the flow is just 500m (1,500 ft) away from hitting the northernmost buildings. Video posted to X shows a second eruption taking place just after midday today. 

Iceland’s president, Gudni Johannesson, said in a post to X: ‘No lives are in danger, although infrastructure may be under threat.’

Analysis of departure and arrival schedules for nearby Keflavik Airport shows that flights do not appear to be affected by the news of this morning’s eruption, with no arrivals or departures showing signs of being delayed or cancelled at time of publication. 

Iceland Air, the country’s national carrier, said today: ‘Our schedule and the operation of Keflavík airport are not affected.’

Local tourism hotspot, the Blue Lagoon hotel, however was evacuated last night, after reopening just a week ago.  

Seismic activity intensified overnight and residents of Grindavik were evacuated around 3am local time, Icelandic public broadcaster RUV reported. The broadcaster also reported that around 200 of the town’s 4,000 residents have elected to stay, despite the warnings. 

The Public Safety Department of the National Police reported that last night, 200 earthquakes were recorded, and the town of Grindavik is understood to have lost power at around 5am. 

‘A crack has opened up on both sides of the dikes that have begun to be built north of Grindavik,’ the Icelandic Meteorological Office said, with an official adding that this morning’s eruption is about a quarter of the size of the one in December. 

A coast guard helicopter has been dispatched to assess the situation, Iceland’s Civil Protection agency said, adding that the evacuation order will likely be in place for the ‘upcoming three weeks.’

The eruption began north of the fishing town of Grindavik, and photos appear to show lava slowly flowing towards the town itself, having bypassed the eruption defences that were set up in the weeks after the December eruption. 

The Icelandic Meteorological Office said that lava is currently just 1,500 ft away from the northernmost houses in the town of Grindavik. 

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