London, February 8: Iceland's Meteorological Office says a volcano is erupting in the southwestern part of the country, spewing lava from a three km (1.5 mile) fissure north of the town of Grindavik.

The eruption of the Sylingarfell volcano began at 6 am local time Thursday, soon after an intense burst of seismic activity. The Met Office said the eruption is in roughly the same location as an earlier one in December. Volcano Erupts in Iceland, Viral Video Shows Fountains of Molten Rock and Smoke Spewing From Fissures in Ground.

Icelandic national broadcaster RUV said the nearby Blue Lagoon thermal spa, one of Iceland's biggest tourist attractions, was closed when the eruption began and guests were evacuated to hotels. Iceland, which sits above a volcanic hot spot in the North Atlantic, averages an eruption every four to five years. No Other Country Than Iceland Is Better Prepared for Volcanos and Other Natural Disasters, Says PM Katrin Jakobsdottir.

Images of Volcanic Eruption at Sylingarfell:

Volcano Erupts for Second Time in 2024:

Fountains of Molten Rock and Wisps of Smoke Emanating from Fissures:

The most disruptive in recent times was the 2010 eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano, which spewed huge clouds of ash into the atmosphere and led to widespread airspace closures over Europe.