Iceland's Sundhnúkur awakens: Eruptions halt Blue Lagoon tours
Once again, Iceland's volcanoes are making their presence felt. The picturesque island boasts 130 volcanic cones and 26 historically active volcanoes. One of them has become active, resulting in significant damage.
26 November 2024 19:11
The distinctive free-roaming ponies on the island, the Northern Lights, moss covering vast expanses of land, hot springs, legends of elves, and the iconic Blue Lagoon make Iceland an intriguing tourist destination in numerous ways. Geology enthusiasts are attracted by over 130 volcanic peaks, with 26 volcanoes having been active historically. The most active of these is Hekla, but it's not the one currently causing concern for Iceland's residents.
Volcanic eruption underway in Iceland
The Sundhnúkur Volcano erupted on the evening of Wednesday, 20th November 2024 at 20:00 GMT. This marks the seventh instance of volcanic activity from the mountain in 2024. The latest eruption was triggered by an earthquake. The volcano is located on the Reykjanes Peninsula—the same area that hosts the Blue Lagoon, a spa renowned for its pools with healing waters. The Blue Lagoon is recognised as one of the 25 wonders of the world and is a popular tourist attraction. Owing to the volcanic eruption and the lava that destroyed the spa's car park, the site has been temporarily closed.
Despite the volcanic activity, air traffic in Iceland has not been interrupted. Planes from both smaller and larger airlines continue to operate to and from Keflavík Airport. Among the airlines serving Keflavík is the British company EasyJet. The video depicting the volcanic eruption was filmed from a plane belonging to this carrier. In the video, the pilot asks passengers to remain seated and fasten their seatbelts. He stresses that while the volcanic eruption and the chance to witness the event from above are exhilarating, passenger safety precedes the impressive views.
