Southwestern Iceland has been a world transformed over the last few months, as initial tremors gave way to a full-throated volcanic eruption. The fishing village of Grindavík was evacuated in November, along with popular tourist destinations like the country’s Blue Lagoon, as residents held their breath for a potential eruption.
And lo, a little later than expected, in December 2023, a large crack in the ground made by the initial quakes began to spew molten rock, captured in some remarkable photos. Another eruption happened last month, and now, a resurgence in volcanic activity forced lava across the snow-covered landscape in southwestern Iceland. The recent eruption—the third in as many months—started around 6 a.m. local time Thursday.
“The power of the eruption has decreased. Now it is erupting mainly in three places on the crater that opened this morning,” Iceland’s meteorological office reported at 2 p.m. local time. “This is not unlike what was seen in the December 18 eruption, when the activity shifted to individual craters a few hours after eruption.”
The lava flows and cooled rock from the recent activity have blanketed swaths of the region, as you’ll see in the following photos.
Lava swallows a road
Lava totally covering a road near Grindavík.
Lava flow from the air
Lava blocking the main road into Grindavík, seen from the air. The view gives a sense of the flow’s scale.
Molten rock
Lava near the road exit for Iceland’s Blue Lagoon on February 8, 2024.
Evacuated Grindavík
A road sign for the evacuated town of Grindavík on February 6, two days before the recent volcanic activity.
Lava on the road
Lava flowing across the main road into Grindavík, Iceland.
Lava field next to Grindavík
A lava field from eruptions last month encroached the town of Grindavík (in background).
Flows on the road
Lava hit a hot water pipeline along the road to the Blue Lagoon.
Smoldering lava
Bright orange lava flowing onto a road in southwestern Iceland.
Lava creeping along
Lava on a snowy roadside, creating a stark contrast between the chilly landscape and the blistering-hot molten rock.
Volcanic rock near houses
A cooled lava field from the January eruption nearly reached homes in Grindavík.
Lava silhouetted
A scene straight out of Mordor: the Sylingarfell volcano erupted around 6 a.m. local time, creating a fiery horizon on the dark landscape.
Impassable roads
A snow-covered road in Iceland is now getting covered in lava, too, thanks to an eruption early Thursday.
Photographers watch the eruption
Seven people look on as lava hits a rocky ridge.
A sea of orange and white
Another powerful contrast: flows of orange-and-black lava cover the white-and-black snowylandscape.
Construction vehicles amid the flows
An excavator and other construction vehicles near an active lava flow.