The eruption commenced near Grindavik on Tuesday, shaking the ground and threatening the small town located roughly 25 miles from Reykjavik. The Icelandic meteorological office reported that this eruption followed a long period of magma intrusion measuring approximately seven miles, the longest since the authorities initiated an evacuation of Grindavik’s roughly 4,000 residents in November 2023.

At 9:45 a.m. local time, the initial eruption formed a fissure about half a mile long, expanding shortly after to include additional fissures just meters away from already established protective barriers. The situation remains fluid as authorities continue to monitor the developing geologic activity, making the public closely watch for updates.