The Icelandic town of Grindavík, located about 50 kilometres southwest of the capital Reykjavik, and its surroundings have been hit by a series of earthquakes and a fissure eruption at the Sundhnúksgígar crater chain on 1 April 2025. Local residents and tourists have been evacuated from the area. It is the 11th event of its kind since 2021.
The volcano near Grandavík, located on the Reykjanes Peninsula, became active in 2023 after lying dormant for 800 years. After damage to the town in January 2024, most residents left their homes and have not returned since. However, when the protective barrier near Grindavík was breached by the eruption around 10:00 am on Tuesday morning, approximately 40 homes were still inhabited and therefore had to be evacuated. A red alert has been issued for the town.
According to Runólfur Þórhallsson, Iceland’s Director of Civil Protection, the fissure eruption – characterised by lava flowing from long cracks in the earth’s crust – is larger than usual as the magma tunnel is more extensive, with greater magma build-up.
“Emergency responders in Grindavík have reported that earthquakes can be felt in the town, and signs of deformation are also visible there, suggesting that fault movements could occur within the town (Grandavík) itself,” Iceland’s Met Office said in a statement.
🇮🇸 Eruption of #Sundhnukur volcano in the #Reykjanes Peninsula in #Iceland
— Gabriele M. (@Gabriele_M24) April 1, 2025
The town of #Grindavik and the #BlueLagoon were evacuated#Icelandic #IcelandNews #Volcano #VolcanicEruption #Eruption pic.twitter.com/laYdLqGasG
Given the potential severity of the eruption, tourists staying at the Blue Lagoon Spa and its surrounding hotels have also been evacuated. The geothermal spa is one of the country’s main tourist attractions and remains temporarily closed.
“Due to a volcanic eruption that commenced in Sundhnúksgígar on 1 April, Blue Lagoon will be closed until 3:00 pm on Wednesday 2 April at which time the situation will be reassessed,” the organisation says on its website. All those who have bookings during the temporary closure have been or will be contacted.
Iceland’s unique volcanic activity
Sitting astride the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates are pulling apart, Iceland has long been characterised by significant seismic and volcanic activity. In ‘normal’ times, it sees one eruption every four to five years on average.
However, the island nation has now experienced 11 eruptions south of Reykjavik since 2021, when a new eruptive period began. According to experts, fissure eruptions could continue to repeat for decades, and it is difficult to predict how many volcanic events will occur in the country over the coming years.
