The Blue Lagoon geothermal spa in Reykjavík, one of Iceland’s popular tourist attractions, has been temporarily closed due to a series of earthquakes that have raised concerns about a possible volcanic eruption.
Following a recent wave of seismic activity that started on October 25, guests rushed to evacuate the spa on November 9 after a magnitude 4,8 earthquake, the strongest yet, rocked the region, reports euronews.com.
The earthquake caused mass panic as people feared it was a volcanic eruption; 20 to 30 taxis crowded the spa’s parking lot, which was littered with fallen lava, reported a local taxi driver. The spa has been criticised for not acting sooner.
The island’s most populated region, Mont Thorbjorn on the Reykjanes Peninsula, has experienced hundreds of small earthquakes every day for more than two weeks due to a build-up of magma about 5km underground. Since October 27, the region has risen by nine centimetres, according to the Icelandic Met Office.
“Presently, there are no signs that earthquake activity is becoming shallower,” the Met Office published on its website. “However, the situation could change quickly, and it is not possible to exclude a scenario involving a lava-producing eruption in the area northwest of Thorbjorn.”
The Reykjanes Peninsula on Iceland’s southwestern coast includes a volcanic system that has erupted three times since 2021, after being dormant for 800 years.
The Blue Lagoon spa said in a statement that it would close temporarily and would remain closed until November 16.
