A volcano on Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula began erupting Tuesday morning. State media reported that the nearby town of Grindavik was evacuated. One of Iceland’s most popular tourist destinations, the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa, posted on its website that it was temporarily closed due to a magma intrusion.

A volcanic eruption in southwest Iceland on Tuesday forced the evacuation of the town of Grindavík and the nearby Blue Lagoon tourist site, as lava and smoke poured from a newly opened fissure.

A volcano began erupting in southwestern Iceland on Tuesday as tourists at the nearby Blue Lagoon and residents of local communities were evacuated.  Flames and smoke shot through the air as a fissure opened near the town of Grindavík,

Far less crowded than the Blue Lagoon, the oldest swimming pool in Iceland (since 1891!) welcomes visitors to experience an authentic thermal escape in nature.

Lava has begun flowing from a volcano near Iceland's capital, after authorities began evacuating nearby communities. The meteorological office said an eruption is underway after previously warning of the threat.

Emergency services also evacuated the nearby Blue Lagoon luxury spa hours ahead of the eruption. A volcano has erupted near Iceland's capital, spewing lava and smoke and triggering the evacuation of tourists and residents.