According to reports, Iceland is one of the most volcanically active areas on earth (data map)
Reykjavik, Iceland:
Iceland’s world-famous Blue Lagoon has been evacuated due to nearby seismic activity indicating an “imminent” eruption of the volcano, CNN reported, citing Icelandic public broadcaster RUV.
According to the RUV, the magma began flowing after “strong seismic activity” occurred in the area around the lagoon. The lagoon is a popular geothermal spa known for its milky blue, comfortingly warm waters.
According to volcanologist Thorvaldur Thordarson, the magma is about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) deep, meaning an eruption could occur within hours.
The nearby town of Grindavik is also being evacuated, CNN reported.
Police said the evacuation was “going well” and there had been only a few people in the town in recent days.
Blue Lagoon said on its website it had begun evacuating its premises due to “increased seismic activity in a known area several kilometers away”.
Additionally, the businesses will remain closed until at least Saturday, when the situation will be re-evaluated, CNN reported.
The statement added: “We will continue to pay close attention to the guidance and advice of the authorities and work with them to monitor the development of the incident.”
The iconic Blue Lagoon is less than an hour’s drive from Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital and largest city, and is one of the country’s most popular tourist attractions.
It is also part of the Reykjavik Peninsula in southwestern Iceland, a thick swath of land that stretches west from Reykjavik to the North Atlantic Ocean.
Additionally, the peninsula’s Blue Lagoon is home to Iceland’s main airport, Keflavik International Airport.
According to CNN, Iceland is one of the most volcanically active places on Earth.
It is worth mentioning that in November last year, the Blue Lake was closed for a week after 1,400 earthquakes were measured in 24 hours.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
