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The Blue Lagoon is closed on weekends.
CNN –
Iceland has evacuated its world-famous Blue Lagoon due to seismic activity nearby that suggests an “imminent” volcanic eruption, the country's public broadcaster RÚV reported on Saturday.
According to RÚV, magma began flowing after “intense seismic activity” in the area around the lagoon, a popular geothermal resort known for its milky blue, pleasantly warm water.
The depth of the magma, about four kilometers (2.5 miles), means an eruption could occur within hours, volcanologist Thorvaldur Thordarson told RÚV.
According to RÚV, the nearby town of Grindavík is also being evacuated. Police said the evacuation “went well” and there had been few people in the city in recent days, the public broadcaster added.
In a statement on its website on Saturday, Blue Lagoon said it had initiated an evacuation of its site due to “increased seismic activity in a known area several kilometers away.”
The company will remain closed at least until the end of Sunday, then the situation will be reassessed, it said.
“We will continue to closely follow the authorities’ guidelines and recommendations and work with them to monitor the progression of events,” the statement continued.
Located just under an hour's drive from Iceland's capital and largest city, Reykjavik, the Blue Lagoon is one of the country's most popular tourist attractions.
The site is part of the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwest Iceland – a thick finger of land pointing west from Reykjavik into the North Atlantic. In addition to the Blue Lagoon, the peninsula is also home to Iceland's main airport, Keflavik International.
Iceland is one of the most active volcanic regions on earth. Instead of a central volcano, the Reykjanes Peninsula is dominated by a rift valley with lava fields and cones.
In November, the Blue Lagoon was closed for a week after 1,400 earthquakes were recorded in 24 hours.