Copenhagen, 16 July 2025 (dpa/MIA) - Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula experienced its 12th volcanic eruption in just over four years on Wednesday, as lava burst from a fissure following a series of earthquakes hours earlier.

The Icelandic Meteorological Office confirmed the eruption shortly before 0400 GMT, saying a fissure measuring 700 to 1,000 metres had opened on the sparsely populated peninsula south-west of Reykjavík.

Live footage from public broadcaster RÚV showed bright red lava spewing from the crack in the ground.

Experts described the eruption's location as favourable, with no immediate threat to people or infrastructure in the nearby fishing town of Grindavík. Still, authorities evacuated a campsite and the popular Blue Lagoon geothermal spa as a precaution, RÚV reported.

There were no expected disruptions to international air traffic from Keflavík Airport, Iceland's main aviation hub.

The eruption is the ninth since late 2023 and the 12th since early 2021. A previous eruption occurred in April and lasted only a few days. Experts had not expected the next event until later in the year.

Photo: EPA archive