A volcano in Iceland has erupted for the seventh time in 11 months, causing molten lava to rush towards the Blue Lagoon spa.
The most recent eruption on the Reykjanes Peninsula began Wednesday evening, creating a three-kilometer-long fissure.
According to Iceland’s meteorological service, which monitors seismic activity, the activity is expected to be significantly lower than the previous August eruption.
The majority of prior eruptions have faded within days.
While the eruption poses no threat to air travel, authorities warned of gas emissions across parts of the peninsula, including the nearby town of Grindavík, which was largely evacuated a year ago when the volcano came to life after lying dormant for 800 years.
About 50 houses were evacuated after the Civil Protection agency issued the alert, along with guests at the Blue Lagoon.
By Thursday afternoon, lava had spread across the car park of the geothermal spa, one of Iceland’s biggest tourist attractions and had consumed a service building.
Lava also reached the pipeline that supplies the peninsula with hot water for heating, the meteorological office said, though the pipes were built to withstand lava flow.
The repeated volcanic eruptions close to Grindavík, which had a population before the eruptions of 3,800, have damaged infrastructure and property, forcing many residents to relocate to guarantee their safety.
