Volcano in Iceland erupts for fourth time in 3 months opening up almost 2 mile long fissure

A volcano on the Reykjanes Peninsula has erupted declaring a state of emergency in southern Iceland.

This marks the fourth eruption since December and is the most powerful so far.

Tourists at Iceland's popular tourist spot, Blue Lagoon filmed the moment the eruptions began when the sky turned orange and thick smoke clouds filled the atmosphere. The volcano spewed out lava along its 1.8-mile-long fissure, between the mountains Hagafell and Stora-Skogfell.

The powerful eruptions began on last Saturday, but the lava flows have since been described as 'slow and steady'.

Lava spewed out of the almost 2-mile-long fissure / Anadolu / Contributor / Getty /

Drone photos captured the volcanic activity over the abandoned town of Grindavik.

Over 700 tourists were evacuated and the tourist spot has since been closed until further notice.

Between five and 10 homes were also evacuated, with some residents receiving only a few minutes' warning.

Meanwhile, the main international airport, north-west of Grindavik, was reportedly unaffected with no impact on flights.

Before December's eruption, defensive barriers were built around Grindavik and Blue Lagoon to protect homes and infrastructure from any potential lava flows. According to local police, these barriers did well to protect the communities.

'It is quite clear that if the defensive wall was not there, this lava would flow in a different and more unfortunate direction,' a police chief stated.

Residents and tourists were immediately evacuated from the area /Getty / ABC7

Furthermore, the Icelandic Met Office (IMO) is warning of the 'dangerous' consequences if the lava flows into the southward sea. The water pipe is close to the Svartsengi power plant, a geothermal power plant that provides hot water to most of the peninsula.

Iceland's public broadcaster (RUV), Kristin Jonsdottir explained that 'if lava, which is alkaline, comes into contact with sea water, chlorine fumes can be produced.' She also warned of 'minor explosions' if the lava and seawater interaction becomes unstable.

Currently, the lava is only 200 m away from the region's main water pipe, however, it's a case of waiting to see if the volcanic activity ceases.

Additionally, there are concerns about potential damage to fibre optic cables along the road, which could disrupt phone and internet services.

According to researchers, this eruption is the seventh since 2021, suggesting that the area may be entering a 'new volcanic era' expected to last for decades or even centuries.