Massive eruption on Icelandic peninsula: lava and evacuations!

Massive eruption on Icelandic peninsula: lava and evacuations!

Reykjanes-Halbinsel, Island - On July 17, 2025, a volcanic eruption occurred on the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland, the eruption column of which reaches a length of up to 2.4 kilometers. The outbreak began in the morning for a swarm of earthquake and was reported by the Icelandic weather office shortly before 4:00 a.m. (local time). This eruption has already been the twelfth volcanic eruption in Iceland since spring 2021 and the ninth since the end of 2023, which indicates the increasing volcanic activity in this region. This outbreak also opened another crack in the earth, which is about 500 meters long.

The lava fountains release impressive scenes, as live recordings show that spit the glower red lava from the elongated gap. The experts rated the eruption agency as cheap, since there is no danger to the population or the infrastructure in the nearby city of Grindavík. However, the campsite in Grindavík and the famous blue lagoon were temporarily evacuated for safety reasons, which means that the popular tourist attraction is currently not accessible.

official measures and security warnings

The Icelandic authorities have asked travelers to follow the instructions of the local authorities through dangerous gases in the area around the eruption. Despite the outbreak, however, the travel options in the country are not significantly affected. Keflavík Airport continues to operate in normal operation without a travel warning being pronounced. The main connecting road between the airport and Reykjavík also remains open.

travelers who are affected by the volcanic eruption of flight cancellations are entitled to reimbursement or free rebooking of their tickets. Compared to the previous eruptions, such as the short outbreak in early April, which only lasted a few days, the current event shows more intensive activity. Iceland, which has a total of 140 fire mountains, 31 of which are considered active, remains a focal point of volcanic activities.

Review of the volcanic activity

Since the beginning of the reinforced volcanic activities, Iceland has been on alert. The last significant activity in the region was recorded in December 2023 and January and February 2024. Future outbreaks had been expected by experts for autumn, which makes the current eruption all the more surprising.

For current information on this topic, report ADAC and Exxpress .