Fresh volcanic eruption triggers evacuation in south-west

Plumes of lava reach 50 metres into air as people are moved away from Grindavík near Blue Lagoon spa

A volcanic eruption has begun on the Reykjanes peninsula in south-western Iceland, according to the country’s meteorological office, shortly after authorities evacuated the nearby town of Grindavík.

“An eruption has started near Sundhnúkagígar, north of Grindavík,” the Icelandic meteorological office said in a statement on Wednesday, almost three weeks after the end of a previous eruption that started on 16 March.